Prioritizing Pedestrian Corridors Using Walkability Performance Metrics and Decision Analysis

Recent sustainability initiatives have shown that targeting pedestrian infrastructure improvement programs can enhance walkability and reduce traffic volume. Smart growth planning supports the need not only to build additional nonmotorized facilities, but also to improve the planning, prioritization, and funding process. Identifying pedestrian infrastructure needs through the development of an index can resolve inconsistencies and inequities regarding funding sustainable transportation infrastructure. This research investigates how transportation planning agencies can improve the process of prioritizing pedestrian improvement projects through two objectives: (1) the development of the pedestrian corridor improvement index (PCII); and (2) the application of PCII to pathways in Union County, Pennsylvania, as a case study. The PCII integrates pedestrian performance metrics with the analytic hierarchy process to assist in the prioritization of pedestrian pathway improvements. In order to test the applicability and relevance of the index to a real world network, four pathways in Union County, Pennsylvania, are evaluated and recommendations on the implementation process are provided. The PCII serves as a tool for agencies to enhance the decision-making process for planning pedestrian improvement projects.