Effect of Street Network Design on Walking and Biking

The objective of this research was to investigate whether a relationship existed between street network characteristics and the transportation modes selected in a neighborhood. Factors such as street characteristics, vehicle volumes, activity levels, income levels, and proximity to limited-access highways and the downtown area were controlled for. The results suggested that all three of the fundamental characteristics of a street network—street connectivity, street network density, and street patterns—were statistically significant in affecting the choice to drive, walk, bike, or take transit. Both increased intersection density and additional street connectivity were generally associated with more walking, biking, and transit use. Street patterns with gridded street networks, which tended to have a higher-than-average street connectivity and a much higher street network density, were associated with much more walking and biking. These results suggested that street network patterns were extremely important for encouraging nonautomobile modes of travel. As the United States begins to focus on reducing vehicle miles traveled as a strategy to combat carbon production and cut energy use, it is increasingly imperative that this relationship between the built environment and mode choice be accounted for in the planning and design of the transportation system.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/2198-12
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Effect+of+Street+Network+Design+on+Walking+and+Biking&author=W.+Marshall&author=N.+Garrick&publication_year=2010
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Pedestrians_2010_165054.aspx
• Authors:
  • Marshall, Wesley E
  • Garrick, Norman W
• Publication Date: 2010

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 103-115
• Monograph Title: Pedestrians 2010
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 2198
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile travel; Bicycling; Built environment; Connectivity; Intersections; Layout; Mode choice; Nonmotorized transportation; Pedestrians; Public transit; Streets; Walking
• Uncontrolled Terms: Network design; Road networks
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Public Transportation; I15: Environment; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01151103
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309160742
• Report/Paper Numbers: 10-1463
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 23 2010 8:06AM