Various studies have found that accessibility conditions, especially for non-motorised trips, can be more effective if solutions involving the built environment are considered. These studies reveal that the dimensions of the constructed space, such as dense, diverse and connected land use, can increase the potential for sustainable trips. To observe that influence, this paper reports the results of a survey conducted among residents of 24 condominiums in three districts of the city of Niterói, Brazil, to measure the index proposed by Grieco et al. This application intends to estimate the potential of the built environment of each area to stimulate the generation of sustainable trips and compares this with the overall trip-generation rates. The results show that the estimates of the index correspond to the patterns of sustainable trips, represented by the percentage of trips made on foot or by public transportation in relation to total trips. The empirical results also indicate that: (a) the built environment was more influential than income level in generating sustainable trips and (b) the built environment with lowest potential to promote walking generated more than four extra daily trips by car per residential unit than in the other two districts.
Resumo Diferentes pesquisas têm investigado as dimensões que compõem o ambiente construído de uma dada área da cidade e confirmam a sua forte influência nos padrões de viagens. Neste artigo pretende-se aplicar o índice proposto por Grieco, Portugal e Alves (2015), baseado no ambiente construído, para se avaliar o potencial de três bairros na cidade de Niterói, RJ (Icaraí, Santa Rosa e Região Oceânica) para estimular viagens sustentáveis. Nessa aplicação os indicadores propostos para as cinco dimensões que compõem o índice (densidade, desenho urbano, diversidade, distância do sistema de transportes e destinos acessíveis), estabelecidos a partir de revisão bibliográfica, foram levantados e calculados em cada bairro. Os resultados revelam que as expectativas relacionadas às características do ambiente urbano nas áreas analisadas correspondem ao potencial em estimular as viagens sustentáveis. O índice proposto mostrou-se exequível e aparentemente aderente às especificidades locais, podendo contribuir como ferramenta no processo de planejamento das cidades e para a adoção de políticas que fomentem um cenário urbano mais acessível e adequado ao estímulo das viagens sustentáveis.
Journeys from home to school represent a significant portion of all urban commuting. A high number of citizens are involved. Not only students but parents, relatives, friends and individuals make up this group. These journeys have a relevant impact on urban environments because they correspond to the time (Peak Hour) and the spatial needs of other kinds of journeys that apply to other types of families and activities. The aim of this paper is to relate the urban zone with modal split of four schools in a medium sized Portuguese city, in aggregate form by school and by grades. These schools include children and adolescents from the 1 st grade until 9 th grade in a group age of 6-10 (1 st -4 th grade), 10-11 (5 th -6 th grade) and 12-14 years old (7 th -9 th grade). The differences between mobility patterns in journeys to/from school by school and by grade are evident. Walking is the main travel to school mode choice in three schools and driving in one school. Driving is the main travel to school mode choice for the students from the 1 st to 6 th grades and walking for the students from 7 th to 9 th grades. According to the results, the urban zone influences the mobility patterns in journeys to/from school, however for small and medium sized city that influence does not appear to be so evident.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.