Measurement of Neighbourhood Walkability in Enugu, Nigeria

Walking has many benefits, from reducing air pollution, traffic congestion and resource consumption to solving obesity and other health problems. However, the dramatic growth in the number of automobiles and the frequency of their use in most Nigerian cities, as well as the general neglect of pedestrian needs in roadway design and land-use planning, have increased the vulnerability of pedestrians to several risk factors that may constrain walkability. This study measured the walkability of selected residential neighbourhoods in Enugu metropolis, using some neighbourhood built-environment characteristics, specifically residential density, land use mix and street connectivity as indicators. The study was based on the concept of walkability and the hierarchy of walking needs. A descriptive research design was adopted, and purposive sampling technique was used to select three residential neighbourhoods, one from each of the three Local Government Areas that make up Enugu metropolis, each representing low, medium, and high-density residential categories, respectively. Aerial images of the selected residential neighbourhoods were captured and downloaded from the Google Earth application, and the ArcGIS 10.2 application was used to digitise and analyse the images. GIS and a composite walkability index generated from the GIS analysis were used to measure the walkability of the selected residential neighbourhoods. The study revealed that New Haven, a medium-density residential neighbourhood, has the highest walkability score among the selected neighbourhoods and is the most walkable neighbourhood in the study area. New Haven was closely followed by Garriki, a high-density neighbourhood, and Trans-Ekulu, a low-density residential neighbourhood. The study further revealed that homogenous land use and the unavailability of walking facilities are significant factors that inhibit walkability in the study area. The inclusion of pedestrian walkways and cyclist lanes in road designs, the establishment of organised commercial and retail outlets, especially in low-density residential neighbourhoods, rehabilitation and proper maintenance of the roads, especially in the inner streets, provision and adequate maintenance of walking facilities and street furniture, location of recreational facilities at proximity to homes, organisation and regulation of the number of public transportation modes within the residential neighbourhoods, and the provision of street lightings along the streets within the neighbourhoods was recommended as ways of improving and enhancing walkability in the study area.