Influence of the Built Environment on Pedestrian Route Choices of Adolescent Girls

Overview

Journal Environ Behav

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Psychology

Date 2015 May 14

PMID 25969591

Citations 11

Authors

Daniel A Rodriguez

Louis Merlin

Carlo G Prato

Terry L Conway

Deborah Cohen

John P Elder

Kelly R Evenson

Thomas L McKenzie

Julie L Pickrel

Sara Veblen-Mortenson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We examined the influence of the built environment on pedestrian route selection among adolescent girls. Portable global positioning system units, accelerometers, and travel diaries were used to identify the origin, destination, and walking routes of girls in San Diego, CA and Minneapolis, MN. We completed an inventory of the built environment on every street segment to measure the characteristics of routes taken and not taken. Route-level variables covering four key conceptual built environment domains (Aesthetics, Destinations, Functionality, and Safety) were used in the analysis of route choice. Shorter distance had the strongest positive association with route choice, while the presence of a greenway or trail, higher safety, presence of sidewalks, and availability of destinations along a route were also consistently positively associated with route choice at both sites. The results suggest that it may be possible to encourage pedestrians to walk farther by providing high quality and stimulating routes.

Citing Articles

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Measuring the Built Environment in Studies of Child Health-A Meta-Narrative Review of Associations.

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