Volume 18, No. 3, 2024
Received: 2023/04/27, Accepted: 2024/04/24
Authors:
Sabbir Ahmed Siddique;
Abstract:
For more than half a century, vehicular mobility rate is thriving so much that it already has taken all the attentions of sidewalk infrastructure facilities, commonly called �Pedestrian�. At present, pedestrian facilities are one in every of the best challenges in terms of traffic safety and sidewalk environment mainly for the urban dwellers of the Asian cities like Bangladesh, as the average median walkability rating for the Asian cities is only 58.43. Currently Rajshahi city, also have severely affected regarding the safety and mobility of pedestrians as there is no maintenance of pedestrian infrastructure, amenities, and services at all. The impetuous and excessive increase of urbanization & motorization combined with limited attention to walkability & pedestrian facilities and public transport opportunities has resulted in a decrease in the overall pedestrian mode share. Considering the facts and to maintain the comfortable moving of the citizens, identifying the existing conditions of the walkability & pedestrian facilities of Rajshahi city must be considered as the topmost priority. So, this study aims to apply the principles of the Global Walkability Index (GWI) that includes a �Field Walkability Survey� together with ADB Study on �Walkability and Pedestrian Facilities in Asian Cities�, in four major intersection points of Rajshahi city namely zero point (CBD), Uposhohor, Kazla and Railgate (respectively known as commercial, residential, educational, and public transport terminal zones), to benchmark them against different walkability parameters and rank Rajshahi city across the world based on the safety, security, and convenience of their pedestrian environments.
Keywords:
Walkability & Pedestrian Facilities; Asian Cities; Walking Environment; Walkability Indicators; ADB Study; Public Transport