Citizen science and the (re)discovery of walkability from a child and youth perspective

Freitas, Ana Paula de Oliveira; Cardoso, Leandro; D’Ávila, Rogério Faria

doi:10.1590/2236-9996.2024-6018.e

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Dossier: urban mobility and equity • Cad. Metropole 26 (60) • May-Aug 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2236-9996.2024-6018.e copy

Citizen science and the (re)discovery of walkability from a child and youth perspective

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Encouragement of walking and the use of citizen science directly influence the promotion of positive aspects for society, especially for children and adolescents. The article presents a study conducted with students from a public school, aged between 10 and 12 years, that enhances a walkability assessment tool from the perspective of the younger population. Using a participatory methodology, the study integrates pedestrian perceptions as a determining factor in the analysis of the importance of indicators. The results showed that walkability is still inadequate in the studied region and that the inclusion of the public in the research process brought benefits that go beyond the quantitative weights assigned to the index scores.

active mobility; walkability; citizen science; participatory methodology; child and youth public

Activities
1^ST Meeting	- Presentation of the researcher, fellows and all students in a circle; - Presentation of the research and explanation of all its stages using the flowchart; - Explanation of the non-obligation to participate in the study and the assent and consent forms (TALE and ICF); - Alignment of concepts about walkability and the categories and indicators of the Walkability Index to be used in the study;
2^ND Meeting	- Request to choose fictitious names to be adopted by everyone to preserve the identities; - Group definition of the study area; - Continued alignment of all indicators’ concepts; - Explanation of the socioeconomic form and characterization of the home-school journey to be filled by their responsible (non-mandatory filling out);
3^RD Meeting	- Co-researchers collective perception systematization about which indicators most influent on walkability through a paired comparison; - Development of a “quiz” type recreational dynamic on the subject of active mobility;
4^TH Meeting	- Systematization of the co-researchers’ individual perception through development of drawings about the school’s entrance street (the street nowadays versus the street as we dream);
5^TH Meeting	- Co-researchers collective perception systematization through the “dream street” dynamic, associated with a memory game application;
6^TH Meeting	- Systematization of co-researchers’ individual perception of which indicators most influent on walkability, based on the adapted application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process — AHP (Hierarchical Analysis Method), using computer resources (tablets).

Screening indicators (individual and collective perception)	Recurrence	Total
Conservation of the sidewalk pavement Visual attractiveness Traffic signs at the intersection. Afforestation Cleanliness Presence of pedestrians (security) Lighting Mixed land use Benches to sit on Vehicles speed Access to the crossing Risk of flooding	Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No	15 14 13 12 8 4 4 3 3 2 2 1

Indicator	Weight by arrangement of distance from Mahalanobis
Afforestation Cleanliness Visual attractiveness Conservation of the sidewalk pavement Traffic signs at the intersection. Presence of pedestrians (security) Lighting	0,18336337 0,143179013 0,083092288 0,195023046 0,173501462 0,076483994 0,145356827

Comparative results			Comparative results
Segment	Weighted walkability index	Non-weighted walkability index	Segment	Weighted walkability index	Non-weighted walkability index
S1	49	50	S13	33	34
S2	40	41	S14	27	28
S3	37	38	S15	45	46
S4	36	37	S16	27	28
S5	37	37	S17	24	25
S6	38	38	S18	38	39
S7	33	33	S19	38	39
S8	29	29	S20	37	38
S9	35	35	S21	36	37	Excellent
S10	37	37	S22	34	35	Good
S11	37	38	S23	37	37	Regular
S12	44	45	S24	37	38	Bad
			S25	32	33	Terrible

Co-researchers suggestions for improvements
Indicator	Weighted walkability index
Parks and green areas within walting distance	Create parks at bus stops, with protective coverings for pedestrians Build parks in more empty spaces Build park in front of the school
Protection barriers (buffers)	Construct parklets Include sidewalk handrails
Effective sidewalk width	Make the sidewalk larger
Tactile paving	Install the floors correctly
Topography	Build straight streets Reduce holes Build a cablecar Make an escalator
Presence of pedestrians (security)	Include trash bin every 30 steps Hire more security guards Close the streets to cars Reduce the number of cars
Visual attractiveness	Reduce pollution Painting on sidewalks and walls Remove holes from the sidewalks Plant trees
Benches to sit on	Make a bench in front of the Usina Cultural Make benches in the higher area of the school Include benches in front of the schoool entrance
Cycling infrastructure	Create specific places to park icycles Create forested trails Create lakes
Access to the crossing	Create crosswalks Create traffic light postlamps Create pedestrian ramps
Number of streets at the intersection	Increase traffic education Improving traffic signs at intersections
Traffic signs at the intersection	Create windings Include more “STOP” signs Build more traffic lights

Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo Rua Ministro de Godói, 969 - 4° andar - sala 4E20 - Perdizes, 05015-001 - São Paulo - SP - Brasil , Telefone: (55-11) 94148.9100 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: cadernosmetropole@outlook.com

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[1] Translation: this article was translated from Portuguese to English by Maria Alice de Freitas Lopes, email: licefl95@gmail.com