Mobility and infrastructure on the public space. Assessment of walkability in the surroundings of Uniandrade, Curitiba-PR

Abstract

The term “walkability”, is linked with the new society yearnings to make cities into more sustainable, for the benefit of people and providing more pleasant and inviting urban environments for pedestrians, with guaranteed safety and accessibility conditions. This research started with the recognition of the mobility conditions and infrastructure of the public space, with a main focus on the analysis of sidewalks and crossings of roads and the fulfillment of pedestrian criteria. Subsequently, a geographic area was delimited, in this case the immediate surroundings of a university. The chosen place prioritized a space of urban dynamism, from a large equipment that works as an inducer of growth, densification and traffic generator, in addition, promoting pedestrian traffic. For this territorial cut, the Walkability Index was applied, a tool developed by the Institute of Transport and Development Policies (ITDP Brazil), aiming to measure the characteristics of the urban environment and evaluate them in their relevance to favor displacements on foot.

 Keywords: Walkability Index, public space, sidewalks, urban infrastructure.