Walkability

by Li Zhuoxi

Footpaths free of obstruction， pedestrian crossings and wide sidewalks are the three most decisive factors for walkability. Zhongguancun Street scored the highest due to its bike lane. VCG

Walkability is an important part of a citys livability. A pedestrian-friendly street should be smoothly surfaced， lined with shady trees， safe， comfortable and equipped with accessible amenities such as shops and restaurants on both sides of the street.

On May 14， 2019， the Natural Resources Defense Council （NRDC）， an international nonprofit environmental organization， and the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University jointly released a report titled “Evaluating the Walkability of Chinese Cities with a Focus on Live-Work-Play Centers.”This report evaluated the performance of streets in 71 live-work-play areas of 50 different cities using nine indicators： pedestrian crossings， greenery， height of surrounding buildings and pavement width， street furniture， buffers between street and sidewalk， width of sidewalks， obstruction of footpaths， sidewalk quality and bike lanes. Zhongguancun Street in Beijing scored the highest for its bike lane.