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)
- Last updated 1 September 2021