How does pedestrian accessibility vary for different people? Development of a Perceived user-specific Accessibility measure for Walking (PAW)

Current accessibility measures assume that all people are the same, whereas in reality there are many different user groups with different needs and perceptions. Furthermore, the concepts of walking accessibility and walkability are often analysed independently from each other. This leads to a mismatch between calculated accessibility and perceived accessibility. This paper seeks to propose a new methodological approach that considers user-specific perceptions and walkability needs when calculating pedestrian accessibility. A Perceived user-specific Accessibility measure for Walking (PAW) is developed for four sample user groups: seniors, children, women, and wheelchair users. This is done by adjusting the Geo Open Accessibility Tool (GOAT) and imputing the perceptions. Per user group, the most important walkability attributes are therefore included in the accessibility formula and weighted according to their relevance based on the literature review using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Results for a district of Munich, Germany are visualised. When juxtaposed with conventional time-based accessibility measures, our results unveil a more nuanced understanding of pedestrian infrastructure and its variabilities across different user demographics. This approach can help to provide a more realistic portrayal of pedestrian accessibility and to uncover critical gaps in current infrastructure, tailored to the needs of diverse population groups. The method can assist urban and transport planners in designing more inclusive, equitable urban environments. This contributes to a shift towards cities that are not only walkable but also attuned to the diverse needs and perceptions of their residents, ultimately enhancing quality of life and promoting equitable access to urban amenities.