How do urban design elements shape residential neighborhood walkability? Emerging evidence and implications from metropolitan Lagos

Scholars and professionals in the built environment have long realised that the urban built environment’s designs impact significantly on urban residents’ well-being. In spite of this, little is known about how urban design elements at street and community levels shape neighbourhood walkability in the global south cities. Using Walk Score and urban neighbourhood design element rating scale, this study therefore assessed the impacts of urban design features at street and community levels on walkability of 40 residential neighbourhoods in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria. Results showed that Lagos residential neighbourhoods displayed averagely low levels of walkability. Majority of the city residential neighbourhoods are unwalkable. The highly walkable neighbourhoods are in the high residential density areas, while the poorly walkable neighbourhoods are in the medium and low residential density areas. Analysis also showed that while many micro-scale and macro-scale urban design elements differentially impacted walkability in Lagos, neighbourhood walkability was majorly shaped by seven urban design elements. Consequently, the study recommended that in order to increase neighbourhood walkability in Lagos, the urban elements at street and community levels should be improved. The implications of the study for urban planning, physical activity and urban housing were well enunciated.