Elderly Fitness-Oriented Urban Street Design: Case Study in Nanchang, China
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 146, Issue 1
Abstract
Urban streets are a prominent component of building environments that enable movement and characterize neighborhoods, offering the public spaces for social participation. Considering the increasingly aging society, this research focuses on the elderly fitness-oriented urban street design. First, collector streets, local streets, and commercial streets are targeted. Second, the elderly fitness-orientation level of the streets is estimated based on a factor evaluation model. Fifteen attributes pertaining to street features were classified into three factors: safety, legibility, and comfort. The results revealed that the collector street, Minde Street, has the highest elderly fitness-orientation level, while the commercial street, Zhongshan Street, has the lowest. Third, a face-to-face survey was conducted in Nanchang, a medium-sized capital city in Jiangxi province, China. A total of 498 valid data samples were obtained, including 237 elderly people (over 64 years old). To obtain what street features facilitate elderly mobility and to what extent, a structural equation model (SEM) was constructed to capture the relationships among individual attributes, the residential environment, evaluation of the street characteristics, and travel behavior. The results showed that sidewalks, crossing facilities, and traffic signage systems of the streets affect the travel decisions of the elderly to a great extent, compared with other street characteristics. Finally, based on the three aspects of safety, legibility, and comfort, useful strategies are proposed for elderly fitness-oriented urban street design. The study further confirms that the built environment at the street scale affects the travel behavior of the elderly.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request (questionnaire forms and data; SEM model).
Acknowledgments
This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51708218, and 51805169), Jiangxi Province Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 20181BAA208013), Jiangxi Province Social Science Planning Foundation (Grant No. 17BJ17). Nanchang Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences: Research Center for Coordination Development of Rail Transit and Urban Cities.
References
Borst, H. C., H. M. E. Miedema, S. I. D. Vries, J. M. A. Graham, and J. E. F. van Dongen. 2008. “Relationships between street characteristics and perceived attractiveness for walking reported by elderly people.” J. Environ. Psychol. 28 (4): 353–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.02.010.
Burton, E. J., and L. Mitchell. 2006. Inclusive Urban Design: Streets for Life. London: Routledge.
Cao, J., and J. Zhang. 2015. “Built environment, mobility, and quality of life.” Travel Behav. Soc. 5 (9): 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2015.12.001.
Cao, X., P. L. Mokhtarian, and S. L. Handy. 2007. “Residential and travel choices of elderly residents of Northern California.” In Proc., 48th Annual Transportation Research Forum. Fargo, ND: Transportation Research Forum.
Chen, W., C. Albert, and C. V. Haaren. 2018. “The elderly in green spaces: Exploring requirements and preferences concerning nature-based recreation.” Sustainable Cities Soc. 38 (Apr): 582–593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.01.023.
Cheng, L., X. W. Chen, S. Yang, Z. Cao, J. De Vos, and F. Witlox. 2019. “Active travel for active ageing in China: The role of built environment.” J. Transp. Geogr. 76 (4): 142–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2019.03.010.
China Statistical Yearbook. 2017. National bureau of statistics of the People’s Republic of China. [In Chinese.] Beijing: China Statistic Press.
Choo, S., J. Song, and B. Kwon. 2011. “Exploring key factors influencing travel of the elderly: A case of Seoul metropolitan area.” J. Korea Planners Assoc. 10 (1): 235–250.
Curl, A., C. W. Thompson, and P. Aspinall. 2015. “The effectiveness of ‘shared space’ residential street interventions on self-reported activity levels and quality of life for older people.” Landscape Urban Plann. 139 (7): 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.02.019.
Diana, C. G. G., H. Saldaña-Márquez, J. M. Gómez-Soberón, R. Corral-Higuera, and S. P. Arredondo-Rea. 2019. “Life cycle assessment of residential streets from the perspective of favoring the human scale and reducing motorized traffic flow. From cradle to handover approach.” Sustainable Cities Soc. 44 (1): 332–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.10.018.
Feng, J. 2016. “The influence of built environment on travel behavior of the elderly in urban China.” Transport. Res. Part D: Transport Environ. 52 (5): 619–633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2016.11.003.
Guo, H., Z. Gao, X. Zhao, and X. Yang. 2011. “Traffic behavior analysis of non-motorized vehicle under influence of curb parking.” J. Transp. Syst. Eng. Inf. Technol. 11 (1): 79–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1570-6672(10)60103-1.
Hankey, S., G. Lindsey, X. Wang, J. Borah, K. Hoff, B. Utecht, and Z. Xu. 2012. “Estimating use of non-motorized infrastructure: Models of bicycle and pedestrian traffic in Minneapolis, MN.” Landscape Urban Plann. 107 (3): 307–316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2012.06.005.
Hassen, N., and P. Kaufman. 2016. “Examining the role of urban street design in enhancing community engagement: A literature review.” Health Place 41 (9): 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.08.005.
Hebbert, M. 2005. “Engineering, urbanism and the struggle for street design.” J. Urban Des. 10 (1): 39–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/13574800500062361.
Jansuwan, S., K. M. Christensen, and A. Chen. 2013. “Assessing the transportation needs of low-mobility individuals: Case study of a small urban community in Utah.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 139 (2): 104–114. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000142.
Jayakody, R. R. J. C., K. Keraminiyage, M. Alston, and N. Dias. 2018. “Design factors for a successful shared space street (SSS) design.” Int. J. Strategic Property Manage. 22 (4): 278–289. https://doi.org/10.3846/ijspm.2018.3685.
Jiangxi Statistical Yearbook. 2017. Statistic Bureau of Jiangxi. [In Chinese.] Beijing: China Statistic Press.
Kang, Y., K. Fukahori, and Y. Kubota. 2018. “Evaluation of the influence of roadside non-walking spaces on the pedestrian environment of a Japanese urban street.” Sustainable Cities Soc. 43 (11): 21–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.07.009.
Kaparias, I., J. Hirani, M. G. H. Bell, and B. Mount. 2016. “Pedestrian gap acceptance behavior in street designs with elements of shared space.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2586 (1): 17–27. https://doi.org/10.3141/2586-03.
Koh, P. P., B. W. Leow, and Y. D. Wong. 2015. “Mobility of the elderly in densely populated neighbourhoods in Singapore.” Sustainable Cities Soc. 14 (1): 126–132. https://doi.org/10.3846/ijspm.2018.3685.
Lavery, I., S. Davey, A. Woodside, and K. Ewart. 1996. “The vital role of street design and management in reducing barriers to older peoples’ mobility.” Landscape Urban Plann. 35 (2–3): 181–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-2046(96)00309-X.
Lee, J. 2016. “Impact of neighborhood walkability on trip generation and trip chaining: Case of Los Angeles.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 142 (3): 05015013. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000312.
Lehning, A. J. 2014. “Local and regional governments and age-friendly communities: A case study of the San Francisco Bay Area.” J. Aging Soc Pol. 26 (1–2): 102–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2014.854140.
Li, Q. 2012. Study on design of urban living street—With a key of meeting the demands of the elderly. [In Chinese.] Hebei: Agricultural Univ. of Hebei.
Litman, T. 2012. “Evaluating non-motorized transportation benefits and costs.” Transp. Res. Rec. 1441: 134–140.
Lopez, L., and U. Attanayake. 2016. “Evaluation of safe passage alternatives for non-motorized traffic across an existing highway bridge.” Sustainable Cities Soc. 26 (10): 161–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2016.05.018.
Lotfi, S., and M. J. Koohsari. 2011. “Neighborhood walkability in a city within a developing country.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 137 (4): 402–408. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000085.
Mahmoudi, J., and L. Zhang. 2018. “Impact of county-level built environment and regional accessibility on walking: A Washington, DC–Baltimore case study.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 144 (3): 04018020. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000452.
Marshall, W. E., and N. W. Garrick. 2010. “Effect of street network design on walking and biking.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2198 (1): 103–115. https://doi.org/10.3141/2198-12.
Nasri, A., and L. Zhang. 2014. “Assessing impact of metropolitan-level, county-level, and local level built environment on travel behavior: Evidence from 19 U.S. Urban Areas.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 141 (3): 04014031. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000226.
Newton, R., M. Ormerod, and E. Burton. 2010. “Increasing Independence for older people through good street design.” Int. J. Integr. Care 18 (3): 24–29. https://doi.org/10.5042/jic.2010.0246.
Park, K., R. Ewing, S. Sabouri, and J. Larsen. 2019. “Street life and the built environment in an auto-oriented US region.” Cities 88 (5): 243–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2018.11.005.
Patil, A., and A. Narode. 2014. “Development towards sustainable transportation planning in India through management of non-motorized transport.” Int. J. Res. 1 (8): 170–175.
Randall, T. A., and B. W. Baetz. 2001. “Evaluating pedestrian connectivity for suburban sustainability.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 127 (1): 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9488(2001)127:1(1).
Said, M., M. Abou-Zeid, and I. Kaysi. 2017. “Modeling satisfaction with the walking environment: The case of an urban university neighborhood in a developing country.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 143 (1): 05016009. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000347.
Sarkar, C., C. Webster, M. Pryor, D. Tang, S. Melbourne, X. Zhang, and J. Liu. 2015. “Exploring associations between urban green, street design and walking: Results from the greater London Boroughs.” Landscape Urban Plann. 143 (11): 112–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.06.013.
Shi, J., M. Jian, and Y. Liu. 2015. “Overview of travel behavior of the elderly.” [In Chinese.] China Transp. Rev. 37 (7): 87–95.
Southworth, M. 2005. “Designing the walkable city.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 131 (4): 246–257. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9488(2005)131:4(246).
Sun, B., A. Ermagun, and B. Dan. 2016. “Built environmental impacts on commuting mode choice and distance: Evidence from Shanghai.” Transp. Res. Part D: Transp. Environ. 52 (5): 441–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2016.06.001.
Sundling, C., M. E. Nilsson, S. Hellqvist, L. R. Pendrill, R. Emardson, and B. Berglund. 2016. “Travel behaviour change in old age: The role of critical incidents in public transport.” Eur. J. Ageing 13 (1): 75–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-015-0358-8.
Switzky, J. 2001. “Street design, traffic, and fear of crime: Moving from gated communities to transit villages.” Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Woldeamanuel, M., and A. Kent. 2016. “Measuring walk access to transit in terms of sidewalk availability, quality, and connectivity.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 142 (2): 04015019. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000296.
Xiong, W., C. Jiang, and Y. Zhou. 2014. “From vehicle-oriented to people-oriented—A review of urban traffic sustainable development policies.” [In Chinese.] In Proc., Annual National Planning Conf. Hainan. Beijing, China: China Academic Journal Electronic Publishing House.
Xu, R. 2014. “How the built environment affects elderly travel behavior an activity-based approach for southeast Florida.” Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning, Univ. of Florida.
Yang, W., N. H. Wong, and C. Q. Li. 2016. “Effect of street design on outdoor thermal comfort in an urban street in Singapore.” J. Urban Plann. Dev. 142 (1): 05015003. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000285.
Zhang, J. 2014. “Revisiting residential self-selection issues: A life-oriented approach.” J. Transp. Land Use 7 (3): 29–45. https://doi.org/10.5198/jtlu.v7i3.460.
Zhang, J., and V. V. Acker. 2017. “Life-oriented travel behavior research: An overview.” Transp. Res. Part: A-Policy Pract. 104 (10): 167–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2017.06.004.
Zhao, P. 2013. “The impact of the built environment on individual workers’ commuting behaviour in Beijing.” Int. J. Sustainable Transp. 7 (5): 389–415. https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2012.692173.
Zlatkovic, M., S. Zlatkovic, T. Sullivan, J. Bjornstad, and S. K. F. Shahandashti. 2019. “Assessment of effects of street connectivity on traffic performance and sustainability within communities and neighborhoods through traffic simulation.” Sustainable Cities Soc. 46 (12): 101409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.12.037.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 146 • Issue 1 • March 2020
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 15, 2018
Accepted: Jun 18, 2019
Published online: Dec 5, 2019
Published in print: Mar 1, 2020
Discussion open until: May 5, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.