Audits and measuring walkable environments

‘Walkability’ audits

A successful audit:

• focuses on factors that assist and encourage people to walk
• leads to an improved environment so that more people walk.

TMR endorsed guidance

• Walking Network Planning Guidance (TMR, 2021)

Other useful resources

• Healthy Streets Design Check Australia (Healthy Streets, 2021)
• Inclusive Mapping Pilot Project (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2020)
• Guide to Traffic Management Part 3: Transport Study and Analysis Methods, Appendix E.1.2 Pedestrian Audits (Austroads, 2020b
• Liveability reports (walkability section) (RMIT Centre for Urban Research, 2020)
• Assessing Walkability (Victoria Walks, 2020)
• Community Walkability Checklist (Heart Foundation, 2020)
• Guide to Undertaking Community Street Reviews (NZ Transport Agency, 2010)
• Using Public Life Tools: The Complete Guide (Gehl Institute, 2017)

Road safety audits

A successful audit:

• identifies deficiencies in design relating to safety
• leads to reduced risk of death and serious injury.

TMR endorsed guidance

• TRUM Volume 1: Part 7 - Traffic Management in Activity Centres, Section 3.8.2-1 Pedestrian safety and accessibility audit tools (Department of Transport and Main Roads, 2015)

Other useful resources

• Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Managing Road Safety Audits (Austroads, 2019)
• Road Safety Audit Tool for Pedestrians who are Vision Impaired (Burtt, 2014)

Level of Service (LOS) and pedestrian flow

Pedestrian LOS framework can measure the following needs:

• mobility
• safety
• access
• information
• amenity.

Useful resources

• Guide to Traffic Management Part 3: Transport Study and Analysis Methods, Section 4.5 Pedestrian Level of Service (Austroads, 2020)
• Guide to Traffic Management Part 4: Network Management Strategies, Commentary 2 Table C2 1: LOS framework and worksheet for network operation planning (Austroads, 2020)
• Traffic Flow Models Allowing for Pedestrians and Cyclists (Austroads, 2001)
• Walking Space Guide and workbook (Transport for New South Wales, 2020)
• Healthy Streets Design Check Australia (Healthy Streets, 2021)
• Developing Methodologies for Improving Customer Levels of Service for Walking (Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, 2020)