Perceived Design Factors

This study puts the necessity of developed perceived factors for walkability derived from the neighborhood residents. The unstructured urban Density, Mixed-use, and Accessibility questionnaire items were assembled and with the exploratory factor analysis, perceived factors of the case areas were identified.

For the road safety factor, if a neighborhood provides a healthy and pleasant environment for walking, the user perceives it as a safe place. Because safety is a contextual parameter. If that neighborhood provides alternative routes and if it is hard to get lost, it supports the safety feeling. For example, if the lighting is inadequate for a road at night, knowing that there is an alternative route for reaching a target increases the perceived sense of security. For a vital neighborhood, the buildings being close to the street and providing various services like cafes, markets, restaurants, and cultural venues is necessary. Moreover, that means surveillance and feeling safe by being watched by others at day and night time at street level as Jane Jacobs puts it (1961). The survey items grouped under this factor show that this nomenclature is correct.

For the route comfort factor, the presence of the sidewalk and its width are important parameters. In the conditions of COVID-19 pandemics, people prefer wider sidewalks and open spaces for a healthier walking experience

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while keeping the physical distance. Barbarossa claims that “the challenge is to guarantee a new ‘right to the city’, which encompasses essential services, as well as a different way of life that is adapted to the new health crisis”

(2020, p.2). Rather than being socially distant, users should have a vital pedestrian flow yet co-present in public space, which means occupying the same sidewalk at the same time, but remain apart (Glover, 2021). A sidewalk should provide this for a pleasant and safe walk in terms of health and

vitality. According to these arguments, the survey items grouped under this factor show that this nomenclature is correct.

For the route characteristics factor, availability of mixed-use of residence, work, education, shopping, and entertainment facilities are important.

Residential neighborhoods whether in the city center or not, urban

characteristics, which provide social and cultural venues for a vital public life motivate people for walking. Jane Jacobs (1961) was saying in the 1960s,

“downtown is for people”. However, when we look at the case neighborhoods today, Çayyolu Neighborhood has urban characteristics although it is far from the city center and its main street is more walkable than Güvenlik Street at the city center. The survey items grouped under this factor show that this nomenclature is correct.

For the route accessibility factor, permeability and number of intersections are important parameters. Although the existence of traffic signs and pedestrian crossings are related to safety, these signs also indicate the existence of intersections. Users perceive their neighborhood as more walkable if they reach their target more quickly (Frank et al., 2005).

Permeability provides the users to know their environment better and

perceive their neighborhood as more walkable (Koohsari et al., 2014). Covid 19 pandemics conditions, unfortunately, direct people to more automobile usage and online shopping if they perceive the environment less permeable to reach their needs. Hence, the survey items grouped under this factor show that this nomenclature is correct.

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For the route attractiveness factor, availability of mixed-use of residence, work, education, shopping, and entertainment facilities are parts of urban characteristics of a neighborhood also. Hence, this factor was thought of as a sub-factor of walkability under route characteristics. The survey items

grouped under this factor show that this nomenclature is also correct.

The findings in Stage 1 of the study showing that the perceived walkability factors are almost similar for urban and for newly developed urban case neighborhoods. However, while the “route comfort” factor has a higher eigenvalue (3,203) for Güvenlik Street, and it has a lower value (2,754) for 2432^nd Street. A pleasant and safe walk in terms of health and providing vitality at the same time seems to gain more importance in terms of the urban users’ perception of walkability in Güvenlik Street. Decision-makers and city planners can make an improvement in the comfort of the route by

considering the importance of the perception of this factor.

Moreover, while the “route characteristics” factor has a higher eigenvalue (2,989) for 2432^nd Street, and it has a lower eigenvalue (2,205) for Güvenlik Street. Availability of mixed-use of residence, work, education, shopping, and entertainment facilities seem to gain more importance in terms of the urban users’ perception of walkability in 2432^nd Street. Decision-makers and city planners can make improvements in attractiveness and aesthetics of the route by considering the importance of the perception of this factor. This is a significant difference between the perceived walkability factors for urban and newly developed urban neighborhoods; therefore, Hypothesis 1 is supported.

Jane Jacobs’ (1961) conditions for urban vitality, including land use mix, density, small block size, building age, accessibility, and attractiveness are objective parameters for a walkable built environment (Dovey and Pafka, 2020). Generally, urban neighborhoods seem more advantageous for

obtaining these parameters rather than newly developed urban areas in that manner. A comparative analysis was done for the case areas of this study.

The Multi-Criteria Decision-Making analysis findings in Stage 2 of the study showing that the newly developed urban 2432^nd Street in Çayyolu

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Neighborhood is much preferable for a walkable environment than the urban Güvenlik Street in Ayrancı Neighborhood. The reason is especially the main axis where 2432^nd Street exists has been urbanized since the 90s till today and gated housing enclaves are shifted to the far south-west of the Çayyolu Neighborhood. Although the number of shops and amenities is less than Güvenlik Street, 2432^nd Street meets more objective walkability parameters, including the vehicle traffic flow, the number of crosswalks, the number of signage, the ground conditions, the pavement width, and the slope.

Jane Jacobs’ (1961) approach to urban vitality is still valuable for a healthier urban life and the wellbeing of people even in the conditions of COVID-19 pandemics. According to Glover, “limiting mobility, restricting people to isolate at home, and keeping them from seeing their family and friends in person can have damaging health consequences, for meaningful social ties and the support they provide boost our wellbeing in tremendous ways” (2020, p.3). People should walk outside, co-present and interact with each other, and reach services that are within 15-20 minutes walking distance in a

healthy, safe, and accessible way. City planners and decision-makers should make inclusive improvements considering the vulnerable groups with an awareness of age and ability effect on walkability. Because, pandemics and lock-downs prevented the co-presence of senior adults, young children, and people with disabilities walking outside with the rest of the neighborhood population.