Walkability, complete streets, and gender: Who benefits most?

• Published in: Health & place Vol. 48; pp. 80 - 89
• Main Authors: Jensen, Wyatt A., Stump, Tammy K., Brown, Barbara B., Werner, Carol M., Smith, Ken R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Active travel; Built environment; Cities; Environment Design; Female; Females; Gender; Gender equity; Geographic Information Systems; Humans; Male; Males; Pedestrian; Renovation & restoration; Residence Characteristics; Roads & highways; Sex Factors; Sidewalk; Streets; Studies; Time Factors; Walking; Walking - statistics & numerical data; Pedestrian; Walking; Active travel; Sidewalk; Built environment
• ISSN: 1353-8292; 1873-2054
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.09.007

Does street walkability and a new complete street renovation relate to street use and gender composition? We audited two mixed-walkability complete streets ("complete less-urban" and "complete-urban"), one low-walkable street, and one high-walkable street at pre-renovation and twice post-renovation. Complete street users increased, especially for the complete-less urban street. Typically, the high-walkable street attracted the most and the low-walkable street attracted the fewest total people, males, and females; complete streets were in between. On blocks with people, females were only 29% of users; females were much less common on low- walkable streets. Street improvements might enhance gender equity. •Walkability audits confirmed our 4 streets varied from low to high walkability.•More users were seen on the more walkable streets.•The complete less-urban street especially grew more popular post-renovation.•Males exceed females on all streets.•Female proportions doubled from the least to the most walkable street.