Measuring perceived walkability

Community-sourced data is the starting point for walking policy and street transformation investment

The Walkability app is a mobile phone application participatory mapping tool. It allows people to share how they feel when they walk by reporting both positive and negative experiences. The app is an effective tool for enabling citizens of any age, gender or ability, to share their walked experiences. 

The geo-located data provides an opportunity for city planners and engineers to invest in a programme of works more confidently so that more local needs are met and better safety, accessibility and comfort outcomes all citizens are more likely.

The Walkability.App is freely available in the Apple Store and Google Play Store.

Women in Dublin using the Walkability App to report their walking experiences

Responsive investment planning

The app helps policymakers respond to the needs of people walking with targeted investments that improve safety, accessibility and comfort. 

Empowered communities

The app empowers citizens to share their everyday experiences of public space to support more sustainable transport choices and ensure a fairer society.

Evidence based decision making

The app’s geo-located data set enables detailed walkability assessments and a way to value the impact of street improvement works 

Targeted and effective policies

The app has been designed to assist the development and delivery of targeted and effective walking policies. It is an effective tool for enabling citizens of any age, gender or ability, to share their experiences. The geo-located data provides an opportunity for city planners and engineers to invest in a programme of works more confidently so that more local needs are met and better safety, accessibility and comfort outcomes all citizens are more likely.

The Walkability.App enables citizens to share the reality of their walking experiences and gives practitioners an insight into the change that is required to  improve the safety, accessibility and comfort levels of public space. 

Report out now:

Women’s perceived walkability
at the Luas Tram catchment area in Dublin

A data evaluation report using the Walkability.App

The Final Report from the Every Step of The Way project that used the Walkability App in Dublin provides new insights women’s perceptions of their city and how it influences their transport choices.

The project recorded 487 walking experiences, linked to 858 observations of the public space in Dublin’s LUAS line catchment area. Walkabililty maps were created, for the first time in Dublin, and data shared with the city authorities that gave a new level of insight into the reality of women’s experiences when walking in the city.

Walk21 is grateful to the Alstom Foundation  for their support and to the expertise of partners from Irish Pedestrian’s NetworkTU Dublin and CEDEUS. The report is available here.

Women’s perceived walkability at the Luas Tram catchment area in Dublin

A data evaluation report using the Walkability.App

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

Try the Walkability app in your community

Enable benefits world-wide

The Walkability.App is available to benefit communities anywhere in the world where there is a demand for the walking experience to be improved and an interest from the relevant authority to improve the safety, accessibility and welcome for citizens.

Get the app

The Walkability.App is freely available for Android-based mobile phones in Google Play Store and for iOS mobile phones in Apple Store.

Button to download on Google Play
Button to download on the Apple App Store

Carlos Cañas
Walk21

Questions?

Contact our team member Carlos Cañas at carlos.canas@walk21.com.

Partners

The Walkability.App is designed by Walk21 supported by Alstom Foundation in partnership with CEDEUS Catholic University of Chile. 

History

The Walkability.App officially launched at Walk21 Ireland in Dublin, in  September 2022. Including the presentation of data collected in Dublin during April 2022. The design of the Walkability.App builds upon the experiences with the development of earlier platforms but is a completely new design and build.

Development of WalkMyPlace in Canada (2012).

A pilot with the STRIDE app in Lagos, Nigeria (2018) thanks to a grant from TUMI GIZ.

Walking evaluation with children using an analog version and the STRIDE app in in Medellín, Colombia (2019) thanks to a grant from Alstom Foundation and our partner Funda Peaton.

The STRIDE.App was developed in 2018 and 2019 as a first prototype of the Walkability app.

It was used as part of the Small Steps Forward campaign in 2019 in Medellín, Colombia. The campaign aimed to make young people’s walking journeys safer, easier and more welcoming. Local children used the STRIDE app together with analog tools to map their local streets. The Mayor responded decisively  by rebuilding the neighbourhood for children resulting in 22% less road crash victims.

‘Small Steps Forward’ was developed by Walk21 in partnership with FundaPeatón and the City of Medellín, with support of the Alstom Foundation.

Collaboration, joy and results of the Small Steps campaign (video in Spanish).