Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 A RAPID EVALUATION TOOL TO DETERMINE SUITABILITY OF ROAD SECTIONS FOR PEDESTRIANIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINE SETTING Konstantine CHUA KOH a, Crispin Emmanuel DIAZ b a,b School of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City 1104, Philippines a E-mail: mykonserns@yahoo.com b E-mail: cddiaz@up.edu.ph Abstract: In recent years, pedestrianization has been espoused as a viable alternative to spur sustainable social and economic development in local communities. In the Philippines, some cities or municipalities would like to pedestrianize some road sections, but the local governments lack the resources and the capability to conduct a thorough evaluation of the viability of pedestrianization. To fill in this gap, this study explores the development of a rapid evaluation tool that local governments can use to make a preliminary assessment of the roads’ suitability for pedestrianization. It is hoped that this tool can help eliminate unviable candidate road sections early on, so that resources can be allocated towards making more effective plans for the road sections that were identified as more viable for pedestrianization. Keywords: pedestrianization, sustainable transportation, inclusive mobility, evaluation tool 1. INTRODUCTION In recent years, pedestrianization has been espoused as a viable alternative to spur more sustainable social and economic development in local communities. In evaluating the potential benefits of these projects, the most common practice is to use economic evaluation tools like benefit-cost analysis (Ruffino and Jarre, 2021), while different simulation software are used to evaluate traffic and environmental impacts (Giannakos, 2017). However, these tools and techniques can be considered highly technical and require many resources for data gathering and analysis that many local governments in the Philippines do not possess. In the worst-case scenario, if the local government goes ahead with pedestrianizing a road without conducting any rational evaluation, it may cause unwanted negative impacts to the community (Gungor and Guzelergene, 2017), negating the anticipated benefits and may even cost more to reverse the effects. It is in this context that a preliminary study was made to develop a simple but robust evaluation tool that local governments can use to make a sufficient preliminary assessment of a road section’s suitability for pedestrianization, whether it meets some basic “warrants”, before proceeding to more detailed planning and analysis. This tool can help exclude (obviously) unviable candidate road sections from the start, and thus the limited resources can be reallocated towards making more effective plans for the more viable road sections. The main output of this study is to develop an initial version of a rapid evaluation tool for pedestrianization suitability, test it in a specific Study Area, assess its ease of use and check the results against the qualitative assessments of some of the stakeholders. This study was developed as part of a bigger study that looked into the potential 1423 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 economic impacts of a potential pedestrianization project in a specific Study Area. As such, the main focus of data collection and analysis is specifically just for the Study Area, while secondary data from previous studies on pedestrianization projects were used as the basis to develop a first version of the tool. It is acknowledged that more researches have to be made in the future to include more areas and more aspects to help further calibrate the said tool. The paper is further organized as follows: Section 2 summarizes the different warrants for pedestrianization that have been identified by previous studies and identifies common patterns to help create a shortlist of potential variables for the tool. Section 3 discusses the different factors considered in developing the rapid evaluation tool. Section 4 describes the different components of the draft rapid evaluation tool. Section 5 presents some highlights of the results of the test application of the draft rapid evaluation tool into a specific case study. Section 6 assesses the use of the tool based on the case study and its results. Section 7 lists recommendations on how to further improve the usability of the rapid evaluation tool. 2. WARRANTS FOR PEDESTRIANIZATION 2.1 Purposes of pedestrianization Pedestrianization in a broad sense is simply closing off a particular road section and reallocate it for pedestrian use. The closing of a road section can be permanent or part-time, or it can be a full or partial road closure (reduction of some vehicular lanes). For purposes of this study, the pedestrianization being referred here is a permanent and full closure. Although the primary purpose of pedestrianization is to improve walkability conditions, there are other social and economic benefits for the community as well (Littman, 2003). Social concerns deal with providing people better and needed facilities for mobility, while economic concerns deal with spurring local economy by making areas more commercially attractive and increasing property values in the area. Related to this, in terms of economic costs, the project should not create more congestion and vehicle operating costs (Koh etal, 2007), so as not to negate the social and economic benefits. 2.2 Review of warrants identified by from other researches Currently, there is no universal consensus yet on what are the warrants to pedestrianize a road, since researchers and practitioners believe that different cultures and different settings or locations would have different pedestrianization needs and objectives and thus would come in different forms (Elfouly and Aly, 2017). Nonetheless, some common elements have been identified by researches like Chow Ka Ching (2002), Soni and Soni (2015) and Maritz (2019). A summary of the common aspects is presented below. Table 1: Warrants of effective pedestrianization schemes cited from previous studies, summarized into broad aspects Aspect Commercial aspects Social aspects General description Having enough demand and commercial offerings that can attract more people Pertain to providing social benefits to the community Warrant 1) critical mass of users; high volume of users 2) pedestrian-oriented shops and services and a mix of uses 3) topic and gimmicks for individual areas 4) safety and security reasons: streets with schools, hospitals, old age homes 5) road section to be pedestrianized has many residents 6) reclaiming public space for public welfare; currently lacking public spaces 1424 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 Aspect Transportation aspects General description Pertains to different components of the transportation network Built Environment Aspects Pertain to the different physical conditions and features of the built environment. Macro Environment Aspects Pertain to the overall macro environment Warrant 7) sufficient parking space at periphery 8) sufficient public transport options in the vicinity of the pedestrianized road 9) does not disrupt emergency vehicle access 10) does not disrupt logistical needs of businesses 11) street width of road section is not sufficient or appropriate for motorized transport 12) surrounding road network is able to accommodate potential rerouting of vehicles 13) road section has low traffic volumes to be rerouted 14) cleanliness 15) attractive features and street furniture 16) artistic and cultural amenities 17) recreation amenities (e.g. parks and playgrounds) 18) well-preserved historical and architectural buildings or features 19) current sidewalks or pedestrian walkways are in poor condition, and are in need of an upgrade 20) pollution level (Air Quality Index: AQI) is in unacceptable range 21) congestion level-of-service is in unacceptable range 22) noise level is in unacceptable range To help select from the above items the factors to be used for the rapid evaluation tool, some criteria were established, as enumerated below. If a factor meets at least two of the criteria below, they were considered for inclusion into the rapid evaluation tool. In addition, redundant criteria were removed or merged with other similar criteria. a. Criteria is measurable or quantifiable. b. Data to be used for evaluation of the criteria is available, either through secondary sources or simple surveys, or surmises from other related data. c. Criteria is not a basic social service or condition that should have been addressed by the government in the first place. (e.g. safety/security, flooding, cleanliness) d. Criteria is not a design feature or amenity that can be part of the actual pedestrianization project. To further validate the selection of criteria, an online survey among experts and practitioners from different fields (i.e. architects, urban planners, transport experts, urban development professionals) was carried out. They were asked to rank the above twenty-two variables according to what they perceive is important when deciding to pedestrianize a road section or not. Based on the above criteria and the online survey, the following indicators were selected, with some corresponding explanations: Table 2: Shortlisted indicators for suitability for pedestrianization 1) critical mass of users 2) pedestrian-oriented shops and services and a mix of uses 4) safety and security reasons: streets with schools, hospitals, old age homes There should be a minimum threshold of people who will actually use the pedestrianized portion of the road to justify heavy investment and resources. (This threshold can vary for different areas.) Shops catering more to walking customers will likely be more benefitted by pedestrianization. Examples are retail goods and food-and-beverage shops. The presence of pedestrian-oriented shops can help generate economic activities. Pedestrianizing a road section can minimize potential vehicle-pedestrian conflicts, thus reducing accident rates. The more vulnerable population, like children and the elderly, are in need of better protection from vehicular traffic when walking. 1425 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 5) 6) 7) road section to be pedestrianized has many residents reclaiming public space for public welfare; currently lacking public spaces sufficient parking space at periphery for passenger and goods 8) presence of good public transport within walking or bicycling distance 11) street width of road section is not sufficient or appropriate for motorized transport surrounding road network is able to accommodate potential rerouting of vehicles 12) 16) artistic and cultural amenities 19) current sidewalks or pedestrian walkways are in poor condition Residential areas typically have a majority of the people walking, especially young children and the elderly. A pedestrianized area offers an alternative public open space where people can interact, and for rest and recreation. Some may still need to arrive by car and would need parking spaces. Some establishments would require parking area for delivery. Parking would also be needed for emergency purposes. NOTE: Serves as a proxy for Amenity #9 and #10 Since people will be mostly walking in the pedestrianized area, public transport is the most compatible access mode to the pedestrianized area. High-capacity and high-quality public transport modes would reduce the need for private vehicles. Narrow roads which would have difficulty accommodating cars and heavy traffic may be better suited for walking. Conversely, wider roads are usually best for carrying heavy vehicular traffic. A grid-like network can easily allow some road sections to be closed off and reroute vehicular traffic without affecting overall traffic much. Parallel streets should also have sufficient capacity to absorb potential rerouting of vehicular traffic. NOTE: Serves as a proxy for Amenity #9 and #10 Interesting cultural, heritage and tourist spots generate foot traffic. Heritage and tourist spots are better appreciated by walking, hence more compatible for pedestrianization. NOTE: Serves as a proxy for Amenity #18 Walkways in poor conditions have a higher need for an upgrade that can be addressed by pedestrianization. Some indicators of poor conditions are narrow sidewalk widths, poor pavement quality and presence of many obstructions along the sidewalks 2.3 Synthesis The response of the respondents in the ranking of the variables also revealed some patterns in the ranking. Based on this, the abovementioned factors were then further grouped together according to similarity of theme, as shown below. This will form the basis for developing the rapid evaluation tool. Table 3: Grouping of factors for suitability for pedestrianization based on common themes In need of improved ped facilities High share of people in need of ped facilities Need to boost economic activities Compatible road network Integration with other modes 6) reclaiming public space for public welfare 19) current sidewalks or pedestrian walkways are in poor condition - narrow sidewalk width or insufficient walkway capacity - poor pavement quality - many obstructions 1) critical mass of users 4) safety and security reasons: streets with schools, hospitals, old age homes 5) road section to be pedestrianized has many residents 1) critical mass of users 2) pedestrian-oriented shops and services and a mix of uses - retail goods, food-and-beverage businesses, etc. 16) tourist, heritage and cultural attractions (combination of amenities #16, 17, 18) 12) surrounding road network is able to accommodate potential rerouting of vehicles 30) street geometry and width are more appropriate for motorized transport 7) sufficient parking space at periphery for passenger and goods 31) presence of good public transport within walking or bicycling distance 1426 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 3. DEVELOPING THE RAPID EVALUATION TOOL 3.1 Options for Format of the Tool Currently, the most common tool that is used to assess a road section’s suitability for pedestrianization is benefit-cost analysis. However, this type of analysis covers all the wideranging effects and it will be too costly and time-consuming to gather sufficient data to conduct such an analysis. Additionally, it is hard to isolate the contribution of pedestrianization itself from the contribution of the other factors (e.g. policy, macro-economy, people behavior, etc.) (Hass-Klau, 1993). Some researches which have done postimplementation evaluation of pedestrianization projects have actually used simple and practical indicators instead of large-scale performance indicators in consideration of time, budget and ‘statistical accuracy’. (Hass-Klau, 1993. NYCDOT, 2013) The closest and simplest evaluation tool that is related to pedestrianization that can be found is the “Global Walkability Index (GWI)” developed by Holly Krambeck for the World Bank (2006). The GWI tool lists a set of indicators which is given a score from 1 to 5 for each road section. A score of 5 indicates very good conditions, while a score of 1 indicates very poor conditions (See sample in Figure 1 below). The chosen indicators are a combination of qualitative and quantitative factors, covering aspects like traffic conditions, road conditions and amenities present. Once each indicator has been assigned a score, the scores are then averaged to have a final score for the surveyed road section. In case of multiple road sections to be studied, the final scores of each road section are averaged to get a general score of walkability for that area. Because of the simplicity and robustness of this tool, it was used as a template to develop the rapid evaluation tool for pedestrianization suitability. Figure 1. Sample of Likert scale used for the ‘pavement quality’ factor in the Global Walkability Index Survey (GWI) Implementation Guide Source: Krambeck (2006) 3.2 Categorizing and organizing the variables In typical economic evaluation of transportation projects, benefits and costs are first identified and then summed separately before dividing one over the other to get a benefit-cost ratio. To approximate this pattern, the proposed tool will group factors into similar themes of benefits and costs. Benefits relate to addressing pressing or critical needs of the people through a pedestrianization project. Thus, the benefit aspect is hereby termed as ‘Significant public need’. Costs here pertain to the different traffic impacts as a result of the pedestrianization project, like traffic delays, additional vehicle operating costs, etc. A good pedestrianization 1427 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 project should aim to lessen these costs so that the benefits are maximized. This could be achieved if the road network and transport facilities around the pedestrianized area is able to handle the trip demand by having sufficient capacity and layout. Thus, the cost aspect of ‘Traffic impacts’ is hereby termed as ‘Suitable transport system’. By using these two categories, the premise being forwarded by this study is that a particular road section’s suitability for pedestrianization requires a combination of having a legitimate public need for a pedestrianization project to address some social and economic concerns, and at the same time having suitable transport infrastructure and facilities to avoid or minimize potential traffic impacts. The shortlisted five variable categories in Table 3 in Section 2.3 were then grouped under these two broad categories. For ‘Significant public need’, the variables are: 1) In need of improved ped facilities; 2) High share of people in need of ped facilities; and 3) Need to boost economic activities. For ‘Suitable transport system, the variables are: 4) Compatible road network; and 5) Integration with other modes. Detailed descriptions of each criterion and sub-criterion are shown in the section below. 3.2.1 Significant Public Need [PN] Table 4. List of sub-criteria for Public Need (a) In need of improved ped (b) High share of people in (c) Need to boost economic facilities [IPF] need of ped facilities [HSP] activities [BEA] The worse the current pedestrian facilities are, the more urgent the need to introduce improvements. The more people that are walking along the road section, the greater the need for more and better pedestrian facilities. Additionally, the higher the presence of vulnerable population that are walking, the greater the need. (a.1) Narrow sidewalk width (b.1) High pedestrian volumes The higher the share of sidewalks with narrow widths, the fewer the space available for the pedestrians, thus the greater the need for pedestrian facilities. The higher the combined pedestrian volumes, the greater the need for higher-capacity walking facilities, thus the greater the need for pedestrian facilities. (a.2) Poor sidewalk conditions (b.2) High residential area share (a.3) Lack of public open spaces (b.3) Large school population The worse the conditions are, the greater the need for better pedestrian facilities. Poor conditions would include poor pavement quality, uneven surfaces and presence of many obstructions. The lesser the area of open spaces there are within the vicinity of the road section, the more urgent the need for more open spaces for the general public. The more residential areas there are along a road section, the more likely there will be children and elderly that have walking as a main mode, thus the greater the need for safe walkways. The higher the school population there are, the more young people there will be walking on this road section, thus the greater the need for safe walkways. 1428 The higher the presence of pedestrian-oriented trip attractors, the greater the need for good facilities to encourage more walking to help sustain these businesses that can help make project more economically sustainable in the long run. (c.1) High pedestrian volumes The higher the foot traffic, the more opportunities for walk-in customers to the different shops along the road section, thus increasing the likelihood for more economic activities. (c.2) High retail area share The more retail areas there are, the more foot traffic that would be needed to help sustain the businesses, thus the higher the need for pedestrianization. (c.3) Existence of tourism, heritage and cultural sites The more heritage and cultural sites there are, the greater the need for more foot traffic to visit these places to sustain these sites. Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 3.2.2 Suitable transport system [TS] Table 5. List of sub-criteria for Suitable Transport System (TS) (d) Compatible road network [CRN] (e) Integration with other transport modes [ITM] The more matching the size of the road is with the human scale, the more suitable it is for pedestrianization. Additionally, the better the layout of the surrounding road network, then the lesser the traffic impact it will create, thus the higher the suitability for pedestrianization. The more integrated walking is with other transport modes, the easier is the accessibility to the site. Thus, more people can visit the pedestrianized area. Hence, the more integrated is the site with other modes, the more suited it is for pedestrianization. (d.1) Narrow roads; road more suited for pedestrian movement (e.1) Capacity of rail transport (d.2) Presence of parallel streets (e.2) Capacity of PT road transport Roads with narrow widths are not ideal for vehicles and are better suited for walking. Thus, the narrower the road right-of-way, the more suitable it is for a pedestrianization scheme. The higher the capacity of the rail transport in the vicinity of the area, the better it can accommodate potential high trip demand to the site without relying on private vehicles. Parallel streets allow the rerouting of traffic away from the area to be pedestrianized without causing long detours. Thus, the more and the wider the parallel streets there are, the higher the capacity to accommodate the rerouted traffic, thus the more supportive is the road network for pedestrianization. The higher the capacity of the road transport system near the area, the better it can accommodate potential high trip demand to the site without relying on private vehicles. At the same time, the better it can connect to surrounding communities. Arterial roads mainly serve through traffic with fastmoving speeds and are generally not suited for pedestrianization. Local roads mainly serve slowmoving traffic and are more compatible with walking. Off-street vehicular parking are those people who really need to bring their cars for special needs, like logistics, emergency and other special needs. Thus, the more off-street parking slots there are, the more integrated it is to walking. (d.3) Road functional classification (e.3) Parking within vicinity 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PEDESTRIANIZATION SUITABILITY RAPID EVALUATION TOOL (PEDSRET) 4.1 General description of the format Using a multicriteria analysis format similar to the “GWI” format, a rapid evaluation tool for suitability for pedestrianization is made, hereby named “PEDSRET” with the basic framework shown in Figure 2 below. Significant Public Need [PN] Criteria (a) Criteria (b) Suitable Transport System [TS] Criteria (c) Criteria (d) sub-criteria a.1 score sub-criteria a.2 score sub-criteria a.3 score sub-criteria b.1 score sub-criteria b.2 score sub-criteria b.3 score sub-criteria c.1 score sub-criteria c.2 score sub-criteria c.3 score sub-criteria d.1 score sub-criteria d.2 score sub-criteria d.3 score score of criteria (a) = average (a.1, a.2, a.3) score of criteria (b) = average (b.1, b.2, b.3) score of criteria (c) = average (c.1, c.2, c.3) score of criteria (d) = average (d.1, d.2, d.3) Score of PN = average (a, b) Score of TS = average (c, d) Figure 2. Procedure for computing scores for the Pedestrianization Suitability Rapid Evaluation Tool (PEDSRET) for each road section 1429 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 Scores for ‘Significant public need’ (PN) will be computed separately with those for ‘Suitable transport system’ (TS), to avoid one score from “masking” the effects of the other. For this study, criteria are defined as general factors which help explain either ‘Significant public need’ (PN) or ‘Suitable transport system’ (TS), while sub-criteria are the more concrete indicators of the criteria. For this tool, all criteria and sub-criteria are assumed to be of equal weights. It is recommended that there be at least two criteria for each category of PN and TS to provide more accurate predictability. For the sub-criterion, the ideal minimum is three, while five is considered to be maximum. This is in consideration of balancing statistical accuracy and ease in gathering of data. 4.2 Scoring system Each sub-criterion will be scored using a Likert scale ranging from 0 to +5, with higher values indicating conditions that are more suitable for pedestrianization. A score of “0” is given for conditions that are not suitable for pedestrianization. For some items of the sub-criteria, “NA” (not applicable) is assigned instead of “0” in case that particular sub-criterion is not present, so that the “0” value will not be included in the computation for averages. The scores for each sub-criterion will be averaged to get a score for the criterion. Then the scores of each criterion will likewise be averaged to get a final score, one for PN and another for TS. Once the final scores for have been computed, they can be assessed using the scale shown in Table 2 below. For this table, 3.0 is set as the “passing threshold”. Table 6. Final numerical scores and corresponding evaluation Score 4.0 to 5.0 3.0 to 3.99 2.0 to 2.99 1.0 to 1.99 0 to 0.99 Significant public need (PN) Very much needed Highly needed Moderately needed Low need Very low need Suitable transport system (TS) Very much suitable Highly suitable Moderately suitable Slightly suitable Not suitable Figure 3. Interpretation of the results of the PEDSRET It should be noted that high scores on both PN and TS do not automatically mean that the pedestrianization scheme will be a success. It is only taken to initially indicate that the 1430 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 particular road section seems more suited for pedestrianization because there is an obvious need and the surrounding transport network can handle transport concerns. Thus, a more detailed study can be justified to further quantify the costs and benefits, and prepare a corresponding implementation plan. Road sections with low scores mean they have failed basic warrants and thus need more investigation before any pedestrianization scheme is to be considered. Figure 3 indicates one way to interpret the combination of the two final scores and the possible actions. 4.3 Description of the Criteria, Sub-Criteria Used and the Specific Indicators to be Used Based on the indicators mentioned in Chapter 2.3, the different sub-criteria to be used for the PEDSRET have been identified and grouped, and are shown in Figure 4 below. A short description of each sub-criterion is presented below, while the detailed scoring system for each sub-criterion is presented individually in the Appendices. Figure 4. Selected criteria and sub-criteria used for the PEDSRET Shown in Table 7 below are the specific indicators that will be used to score each of the sub-criterion. These indicators were chosen based on their availability from secondary sources or ease in primary data gathering. Table 7. Specific indicators to be used for each sub-criterion Criteria and sub-criteria (a) In need of improved ped facilities [IPF] (a.1) Narrow sidewalk width (a.2) Poor sidewalk conditions (a.3) Lack of public open spaces (b) High share of people in need of ped facilities [HSP] (b.1) High ped volumes Indicator % of sidewalks with widths less than 2m % of sidewalks in poor condition Combined area of public open spaces within 250 meters Daily pedestrian volumes, combined for all directions 1431 Source Road inventory; actual observation Road inventory; actual observation Actual observation; desktop research using satellite images Pedestrian counts Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 Criteria and sub-criteria (b.2) High residential area share Indicator % of area that are residential in usea (b.3) Large school population Combined population of all schools along a road section (c) Need to boost economic activities [BEA] (c.1) High ped volumes (c.2) High retail area share (c.3) Tourism and cultural sites (d) Compatible road network (d.1) Narrow road ROW (d.2) Presence of parallel streets (d.3) Non-arterial/collector road (e) Integration with other transport modes (e.1) Capacity of rail transport (e.2) Capacity of PT road transport Daily pedestrian volumes, combined for all directions % of area that are retail in usea Presence of significant tourism, heritage and cultural sites No. of traffic lanesb Presence of streets running parallel or almost parallel to the road section; number of lanes in the parallel streets Functional classification of the road Combined capacity of all rail transport (pax per day) Combined capacity of all roadbased PT modes (pax per day) Source Actual observation; available floor plans; desktop research using satellite images Enrollment records from the schools Pedestrian counts Actual observation; available floor plans; desktop research using satellite images Actual observation; desktop research; list from Department of Tourism Actual observation; road inventory; desktop research via Google Streetview Actual observation; road inventory; desktop research via online maps Desktop research via online maps; road inventory Rail agency records; previous transport studies Traffic counts and occupancy counts; LTFRB records; previous transport studies Actual observation; desktop research via online maps (e.3) Vehicular parking w/in Vehicular parking slots within 500 vicinity meters Notes: a - The percentages are the shares of the area of each land use type over the total floor area in a road section. The area may be just the lot area in case of open lots or total gross floor areas in case of covered and/or multi-storey buildings. In case specific areas cannot be obtained due to absence of floor plans, interpolation can be made through a combination of satellite images, field surveys and interviews with building owners. b - Each lane is assumed to be 3 meters in width 5. APPLICATION OF THE PEDSRET TO A CASE STUDY 5.1 Overview In 2019, the Region 7 branch of National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) initiated a study to look into the potential pedestrianization of some parts of Downtown Cebu City as a way to boost the local economy in that area. The Study Area is shown in the map below. The Study Area is comprised of 16 streets (with aggregate length of 5.7 km), including major streets such as Colon St and Osmena Blvd. Among the prominent landmarks found here are Magellan’s Cross, Basilica de Santo Nino, Metropolitan Cathedral, Cebu City Hall and University of Visayas. Carbon Market and Fort San Pedro are also found within the vicinity. The Study Area is part of the old city center in Cebu City, dating back to the Spanish 1432 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 and American periods. Some traces of its rich historical and cultural heritage can still be seen from the structures that remain to this day, including some of the grandest theaters built during the American period. However, as time progressed, some of these structures became rundown or had already been modified to other uses. Other structures in the area have been abandoned or remained idle for many years. Some of the old establishments still remain in varying physical conditions. Currently, the entire area is considered to be a melting pot of bargain-buy retail stores and wholesale shops. Figure 5. The delineated Study Area for the Metro Cebu Downtown Pedestrianization Study Source: Planades (2020) 5.2 Gathering of Data To help supply some basic information as inputs to the PEDSRET, various data gathering activities were conducted, as shown in Table 21. Since the evaluation for pedestrian suitability is conducted on a per road section basis, each road section within the Study Area was assigned a code, as shown in Figure 6. Table 7. Data gathering activities conducted for the Cebu Downtown Pedestrianization Study Data collection Archival research Ocular observation Desktop research (Google Maps) Pedestrian counts PT Inventory Land use and sidewalk inventory Data to be gathered (b.3) Combined population of schools (d.1) No. of traffic lanes (c.3) Presence of significant tourism, (d.3) Functional classification of heritage and cultural sites the road (d.1) No. of traffic lanes (a.3) Combined area of public open (b.2) % of area that are residential spaces within 250 m (c.2) % of area that are retail (d.1) No. of traffic lanes (e.3) Vehicular parking slots within (d.2) Presence of parallel streets 500 m (b.1) Daily pedestrian volumes (e.1) Combined capacity of all rail transport (e.2) Combined capacity of all road-based PT modes (a.1) % of sidewalks with widths less (c.3) Presence of significant than 2m tourism and cultural sites (a.2) % of sidewalks in poor condition (e.3) Vehicular parking slots within (b.2) % of area that are residential 500 m (c.2) % of area that are retail 1433 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 In terms of efficiency of data collection, most of the data requirements for the subcriteria were easy enough to collect. Data about the roads and routes were readily available from secondary sources and a quick ocular inspection helped easily verify these data. Data on land use and sidewalk conditions were slightly more difficult to collect, as it involved more resources to conduct the inventories. The more tedious work involved was actually not the data gathering itself, but the processing of the results from the land use and sidewalk inventory. It required more time to clean up the field data and then assign categories to standardize the answers. Nonetheless, it is expected that future processing of data about the land use and sidewalks will be faster, due to the benefit of having already done a pilot run. Figure 6. Coding guide used to identify each road section in the Study Area Source: Planades (2020) In addition, the Study Team conducted a focus group discussion (FGD) with some of the stakeholders in the area. One of the items discussed was what were some of the road sections that they think would be ideal and not ideal for pedestrianization. Some of the attendees have identified the road sections in front of historical or tourist attractions would be more ideal for pedestrianization, like Osmena Blvd in front of Basilica de Santo Nino and P. Burgos in front of Metropolitan Cathedral. A few participants also mentioned that there was a proposal to pedestrianize Colon St to help revive the street to its glory days (Silva 2016). On the other hand, some of the respondents mentioned that road sections with heavy traffic and many public transport routes (such as Colon St) are not ideal for pedestrianization. The respondents were also asked what were some of the critical elements for a successful pedestrianization project. Most of the participants agree that pedestrianization alone does not guarantee that more people will come to the area, and would depend more if the existing urban environmental conditions have been improved, like safety/security, flooding and waste management. They also mentioned that there needs to be good physical connectivity between the pedestrianized space and the adjacent land uses. 5.3 Results of the PEDSRET for the Study Area Note: The PEDSRET described in this paper is an updated version of the tool that was actually used for the study conducted for NEDA in 2019. The results below used the most recent version. 1434 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 5.3.1. Highest scores for each criterion For the criterion of “Bad state of ped facilities” [IPF], the section with the highest score is Mabini St MB1. This means that since it has the worst state of ped facilities, it has a high need for pedestrianization. This is mainly due to the fact that 86% of the sidewalks in MB1 are less than 2 meters in width, and there is only about 800 square meters of open spaces within 250 meters vicinity. Table 8. Road sections with the highest and lowest scores for “IPF” Road Section Code Street Name Road section (a.1) % with sidewalk width <2m (a.2) % poor sidewalk conditions (a.3) Lack of public open spaces SCORE MB1 Mabini St. Btwn Zulueta St and Colon St 5 2 4 3.7 MB3 Mabini St. Btwn Jereza & P. Gomez 5 2 3 3.3 PG1 P. Gomez St. Btwn Jakosalem & P. Burgos 4 2 4 3.3 For the criterion of “High share of people in need of ped facilities” [HSP], the sections with the highest scores are Colon St CO3 and Mabini St MB3, each with a score of 3.3. This means that these road sections have a high need for pedestrianization, since they have a high share of people that needs safe and wide walkway facilities. In the case of CO3, this is due to a combination of high ped volumes and presence of a university. In the case of MB3, this is due to the presence of a university and an average-sized residential neighborhood. Table 7. Road sections with the highest and lowest scores for “HSU” Road Section Code Street Name Road section (b.1) High ped volumes (b.2) High residential area share (b.3) Large school population SCORE CO3 Colon St. Btwn Junquera St & Jakosalem St 5 0 5 3.3 MB3 Mabini St. Btwn Jereza & P. Gomez 2 3 5 3.3 For the criterion of “Need to boost economic activities” [BEA], three sections have the highest scores of 4.3, namely Colon St CO1, Colon St CO2 and Osmena Blvd OS4. This means that these road sections have a high need to boosting economic activities, since all of these road sections have daily ped volumes greater than 20,000 and have retail area shares greater than 75%. Table 9. Road sections with the highest scores for “BEA” Road Section Code Street Name Road section (c.1) High ped volumes (c.2) High retail area share (c.3) Tourism and cultural sites SCORE CO1 Colon St. Btwn Osmena Blvd & Pelaez St 5 5 3 4.3 1435 CO2 Colon St. Btwn Pelaez St & Junquera St 5 5 3 4.3 OS4 Osmena Blvd. Btwn Jakosalem & P. Burgos 5 4 4 4.3 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 For the criterion of “Compatible Road Network” [CRN], there are five sections with the highest scores of 4.3, namely P. Gomez St, P. Burgos MB6 and all three road sections of Gonzalez St. All of these road sections have parallel streets of sufficient capacity on both sides and except for P. Burgos, are local streets. Table 10. Road sections with the highest and lowest scores for “CRN” Road Section Code Street Name Road section (d.1) Narrow road ROW (d.2) Presence of parallel streets (d.3) Non-arterial/collector road MB3 PG1 P. Burgos St. Btwn Osmena Blvd & Magallanes 5 5 3 4.3 SCORE GO1,2,3 P. Gomez St. Btwn Jakosalem & P. Burgos 3 5 5 4.3 Gonzalez St. Btwn Osmena Blvd & MC Briones 3 5 5 4.3 For the criterion of “Integration with other modes” [IOM], there were five road sections which got the highest scores of 3.0. They are two road sections from Colon St (CO2 and CO3) and three sections of MC Briones (BR1, BR2 and BR3). Their high scores is mainly due to high scores for parking availability. Table 11. Road sections with the highest and lowest scores for “IOM” Road Section Code Street Name Road section (e.1) Capacity of rail transport (e.2) Capacity of road transport (e.3) Vehicular parking CO2,3 Colon St. BR1,2,3 MC Briones St. Btwn Pelaez St & Jakosalem St Btwn F. Gonzalez St & Lapu-lapu St. 0 2 4 2.0 SCORE 0 2 4 2.0 5.3.2. Road sections with potential for pedestrianization None of the road sections were able to meet the minimum passing mark of 3.0 for both ‘Public need’ and ‘Transport system’. However, there are still some road sections that can be considered for pedestrianization because they passed the threshold of 3.0 for ‘Public need’. They are as follows: Table 12. Road sections that have some potential for pedestrianization based on PEDSRET Code & Street Name Section (a) IPF (b) HSP (c) BEA (d) CRN (e) IOM PN Score (average of a,b,c) TS Score (average of d,e) 3.1 2.0 CO3 Colon St Btwn Junquera St & Jakosalem St 3.0 3.3 3.0 2.0 2.0 Highly Needed Moderately suitable MB3 Mabini St Btwn Jereza & P. Gomez 3.3 3.3 2.7 3.0 0.0 Highly needed Slightly suitable 3.1 1.5 Colon St CO3 have scores greater than 3.0 for all three criteria of Public Need, as this is pulled up mainly by high ped volumes, large school population, and high retail share. At the 1436 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 same time, although its sidewalks are currently wide enough, the physical conditions are poor and there is no public space available nearby. Table 12. Breakdown of scores for ‘Public need’ for Road Section CO3 (a) In need of improved ped facilities Score (a.1) Narrow sidewalk width (a.2) Poor sidewalk conditions (a.3) Lack of public open spaces 0 4 5 SCORE for (a) Average (a, b, c) 3.0 3.1 (b) High share of people in need of ped facilities (b.1) High ped volumes Score (c) Need to boost economic activities Score 5 (c.1) High ped volumes 5 (b.2) High residential area share (b.3) Large school population 0 (c.2) High retail area share (c.3) Tourism, heritage and culture sites 4 5 Score for (b) 3.3 Assessment: Highly needed Score for (c) 0 3.0 The above average score of Mabini MB3 for ‘Public Need’ is due to high scores for ‘In need of improved ped facilities’ and ‘High share of people in ped facilities’. Its high score can be mainly attributed to having a high percentage of sidewalks that are less than 2 meters and a large school population. It has average scores for high residential share, high retail share, presence of tourism/cultural sites and lack of public open spaces. Table 13. Breakdown of scores for ‘Public need’ for Road Section MB3 (a) In need of improved ped facilities Score (a.1) Narrow sidewalk width (a.2) Poor sidewalk conditions (a.3) Lack of public open spaces 5 SCORE for (a) Average (a, b, c) 2 3 3.3 3.1 (b) High share of people in need of ped facilities (b.1) High ped volumes Score (c) Need to boost economic activities Score 2 (c.1) High ped volumes 2 (b.2) High residential area share (b.3) Large school population 3 (c.2) High retail area share (c.3) Tourism, heritage and culture sites 3 5 Score for (b) 3.3 Assessment: Highly needed Score for (c) 3 2.7 Although these road sections have above average scores for ‘Public need’, they have poor scores for ‘Traffic system’. In Colon St’s case, this is mainly due to its nature as a national road having a wide road right-of-way that is better suited for arterial traffic rather than local traffic. Additionally, there are no high-capacity public transport system in its vicinity, as the available public transport modes are only public utility jeepneys (PUJ’s). Table 14. Breakdown of scores for “Transport System” for Road Section CO3 (d) Compatible road network (d.1) Narrow road ROW (d.2) Presence of parallel streets (d.3) Non-arterial road Score (e) Integration with other modes (e.1) Capacity of rail transport (e.2) Capacity of road transport (e.3) Vehicular parking SCORE for (d) Average (a, b, c) 2.0 2.0 Score for (e) 2.0 Assessment: Moderately suitable 0 5 1 1437 Score 0 2 4 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 In the case of Mabini St MB3, it has very poor integration with other modes, as neither public transport modes or parking areas are present. However, it scored above average for compatible road network. Table 15. Breakdown of scores for “Transport System” for Road Section MB3 (d) Compatible road network (d.1) Narrow road ROW (d.2) Presence of parallel streets (d.3) Non-arterial road Score (e) Integration with other modes (e.1) Capacity of rail transport (e.2) Capacity of road transport (e.3) Vehicular parking Score SCORE for (d) Average (a, b, c) 3.0 1.5 Score for (e) Assessment: Slightly suitable 0.0 3 3 3 0 0 0 6. CONCLUSIONS This study attempted to develop a first version of a rapid evaluation tool (PEDSRET) that can be used by local governments to make a preliminary determination of road sections that are suitable for pedestrianization. Based on the application of the PEDSRET to the Study Area of Downtown Cebu City, the tool was able to identify the same road sections that stakeholders have identified as having potential for pedestrianization (which are those near heritage sites and high retail road sections). Similarly, the tool also identified those road sections that are not ideal for pedestrianization (streets with currently not much pedestrian traffic and low retail uses). From this, it can be said that the tool is consistent with an alternative scoping method (stakeholder FGD or KII - which tend to be highly politicized, especially if there are contending stakeholders), but easier to implement. In terms of efficiency of data collection, most of the data for the sub-criteria were easy enough to collect. Data about the roads and public transport routes were readily available from secondary sources, while data on land use and sidewalk conditions were slightly more difficult to collect since it involved actual surveys. The more tedious work of processing the results from the land use and sidewalk inventories can be expected to become easier in the future since the classifications/categories have now been set with this pilot study. Once the data have been obtained and categorized, it was easy to score the individual sub-criteria following the provided scoring system, especially through the use of spreadsheet programs which computed the scoring automatically. Overall, the entire process from data gathering to scoring can be deemed easy enough for a typical local government to implement to conduct rapid evaluations of road sections in their area for suitability for pedestrianization. 7. RECOMMENDATIONS 7.1 Proceed with a More Detailed Study For the case application of the tool in Downtown Cebu City, the scores of the PEDSRET are fairly indicative of the pedestrianization suitability of the road sections in that study area, such that there is enough confidence to suggest that the government proceed with a more in-depth feasibility study for the planning of the identified suitable road sections. Such a study may include preparing a masterplan which will the basis for preliminary costs, doing more detailed surveys and computations on potential revenues, economic benefits and the like. Key success indicators would also have to be identified for monitoring and evaluation purposes. The 1438 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 results of this detailed study can then be compared with the initial results of the PEDSRET to see how well the tool anticipates the outcomes. However, whether these road sections will actually yield positive economic benefits and create minimal traffic-related economic costs is something that will ultimately require the actual implementation of the pedestrianization project to be seen. 7.2 Replication to Other Study Areas and Evaluation of the Tool While initial results of this study indicate that the tool was able to come up with the same road sections that were deemed as ‘pedestrianizable’ by the local stakeholders, it remains to be seen whether this tool can produce the same results in other areas. Thus, it is best if the tool can be tested to different areas in the Philippines, covering varying population densities, income classes and land use characteristics to test its implementability in varying planning contexts. This is another way to test the ease of using the tool by different types of users. More detailed analysis can also be done for cases of actual implementations of pedestrianization and “a priori” analysis using the tool. The comparison of results will help further establish the usability of the tool’s format for future analysis of pedestrianization suitability of other sites. As to whether the tool is really accurate in its prediction of road sections that can become successful pedestrianization schemes that will require a multi-sectoral long-term study. The pedestrianization project has to be implemented in the first place, and different indicators have to be monitored for a certain period of time to conclude whether the pedestrianization scheme is successful or not. The results of this long-term study will then be compared with the results of the PEDSRET to calibrate it into a truly cost-effective tool for assessing the potential for success of pedestrianization. 7.3 Fine-tuning the Criteria, Sub-Criteria and the Calibration of the Items The criteria and sub-criteria that were selected for this initial PEDSRET was based on a combination of results from previous studies, as well as inputs from local experts and stakeholders. The current form of the tool is still relatively rough, and is meant to be an initial version specifically used for the Metro Cebu Study. More research and study are needed in order to validate the appropriateness and completeness of the criteria as basis for making predictions of an area’s suitability for pedestrianization, or if there are other factors that needs to also be included. More studies can be made to prepare an a priori PEDSRET rating and then compare it with post-implementation results. If enough studies can be done, then statistical models might be used to verify the appropriateness of factors of pedestrianization suitability. Furthermore, with more case studies and further statistical analysis, the scoring system for each sub-criterion may also be re-calibrated to achieve better consistency with the final result of an implemented pedestrianization. Statistical techniques can also be used to ascertain the different thresholds for the Likert scale to correspond to their scores. REFERENCES Elfouly, Heba and Aly, Abdel-Gawad (2017). The perceived impact of pedestrianization on local businesses in Al-Muizz Egypt: A case study. International Journal of Development and Sustainability, Vol. 6 No. 7, pages 399-411. 1439 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 Chow Ka Ching, B. (2002) Developing an effective framework for pedestrianization schemes in Hong Kong. Unpublished Masters Thesis. The University of Hong Kong. Giannakos, Lazaros etal (2017). Simulating traffic and environmental effects of pedestrianization and traffic management. A comparison between static and dynamic traffic assignment. Transportation Research Procedia, Vol. 24, pages 313-320. Gungor, Sertac and Guzelergene, Secil (2017). A Study on The Positive and Negative Effects of The Pedestrianization of Zafer Square in Konya on Tradespeople and Users. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Approach and Studies [IJMAS]. Volume 4, No. 1, January-February 017, pages 88-98. Hass-klau, Carmen (1993) Impact of pedestrianization and traffic calming on retailing: A review of the evidence from Germany and the UK. Transport Policy Vol. 1 (1), pages 21-31. Koh, K. Lidasan, H., Diaz, C. (2007). Assessing the Costs of the Pedestrianization of Avenida in the City of Manila. Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 6. Krambeck, H. (2006) Walkability Index 2006: Pilot Survey Implementation Guide. Prepared for the World Bank. Littman, T. (2003). Economic Value of Walkability, Transportation Research Record 1828, Transportation Research Board, pages 3-11. Maritz, Anneri (2019) Pre-Feasibility Model for the Creation of Green Pedestrian Zones. Unpublished Masters Thesis. Stellenbosch University New York City Department of Transportation (2013) The Economic Benefits of Sustainable Streets, http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/dot-economicbenefits-of-sustainable-streets.pdf (accessed 15 July 2019) Planades (2020). Consulting Services for the Economic Impact of Pedestrianization of an Urban Space in Metro Cebu, Final Report. Prepared for NEDA Region 7. Ruffino, Paolo and Jarre, Matteo (2021). Advances in Transport Policy and Planning, Vol. 7, pages 165-203. Silva, Victor Anthony (2016) Expert: Pedestrianize to revitalize Colon; https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/90450/90450 Soni, N. and Soni. N. (2015). Benefits of pedestrianization and warrants to pedestrianize an area, Land Use Policy 57 (2016), 139–150. 1440 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 APPENDICES Points scoring system used for the PEDSRET I. Significant Public Need [PN] (a) In need of improved ped facilities [IPF] a1. % of sidewalks with less than 2 meters width 0% - 5% 5% - 20% 20% - 40% 40% - 80% 60% - 80% 80% - 100% a3. Combined area of parks/ open spaces (in sq.m.) Above 5000 3001 to 5000 2001 to 3000 1001 to 2000 501 to 1000 <500 a2. % of sidewalks with poor conditions Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 Score 0% - 5% 5% - 20% 20% - 40% 40% - 80% 60% - 80% 80% - 100% 0 1 2 3 4 5 Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 (b) High share of people in need of ped facilities [HSP] b1 and c1. Daily two-way ped volumes volume, both sides of the road 0 to 2,500 Very few to none 2,501 - 5,000 Few 5,001 - 10,000 Average 10,001 - 15,000 Above average 15,001 - 20,000 High >20,000 Very high b3. Combined school population 0 1 – 500 500 to 1,000 1,000 to 2,500 2,500 to 5,000 5,000 and above Score b2. % of area with residential use 0 1 2 3 4 5 Score 0% - 5% 5% - 10% 10% - 25% 25% - 50% 50% - 75% 75% - 100% 0 1 2 3 4 5 Score NA 1 2 3 4 5 (c) Need to boost economic activities c1. Daily two-way ped volumes volume, both sides of the road 0 to 2,500 Very few to none 2,501 - 5,000 Few 5,001 - 10,000 Average 10,001 - 15,000 Above average 15,001 - 20,000 High >20,000 Very high Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 1441 c2. % of area with retail use Score 0% - 10% 10% - 25% 25% - 50% 50% - 75% 75% - 100% 1 2 3 4 5 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 c3. Existence of tourist and heritage sites None Little significance or very few Somewhat significant or few Moderately significant or average Highly significant or many Extremely significant or very many Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 II. Suitable Transport System [TS] (d) Compatible road network [CRN] d1. Clear width or number of road lanes* > 10 m 4 or more lanes d2. Presence of parallel streets Score 0 6.1 – 10 m 3 lanes 1 3.1 – 6 m 2 lanes 3 0–3m 1 lane only 5 No parallel streets on both directions Presence of parallel streets on one direction with only 1 lane Presence of parallel streets on one direction with 2 or more lanes; or Presence of parallel streets on both directions with only 1 lane per direction Presence of parallel streets on both directions with 2 or more lanes * Each lane is assumed to be about 3 meters in width. d3. Road functional classification Arterial road Collector road Local road Score 0 1 3 5 Score 1 3 5 (e) Integration with other transport modes [IOM] e1. Capacity of rail transport within 500 meters (peak hour pax) None None 1 - 5,000 Few 5,001 - 15,000 Average 15,001 - 30,000 Above average 30,001 - 50,000 High > 50,001 Extremely high Score e3. No. of off-street parking slots w/in 500m vicinity 0 - 50 51 - 100 101 - 150 151 - 200 201 - 250 250 and above Score e2. Capacity of road-based PT modes within 500 meters (peak hour pax) 0 - 2,500 Very few 2,501 - 5,000 Few 5,001 - 10,000 Average 10,001 - 15,000 Above average 15,001 - 20,000 High > 20,001 Extremely high 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 1442 Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies Vol.14, 2021 (a) In need of improved ped facilities (a.1) Narrow sidewalk width (a.2) Poor sidewalk conditions (a.3) Lack of public open spaces Table 12. Breakdown of scores for ‘Public need’ for Road Section CO3 Score 0 4 5 SCORE 3.0 for (a) Average (a, b, c) (b) High share of people in need of ped facilities (b.1) High ped volumes (b.2) High residential area share (b.3) Large school population SCORE for (b) 3.1 Score (c) Need to boost economic activities 5 (c.1) High ped volumes 0 (c.2) High retail area share 5 3.3 (c.3) Tourism, heritage and culture sites Score 5 4 0 (d) Compatible road network Score (e) Integrati on with other modes Score (d.1) Narrow road ROW 0 0 (d.2) Presence of parallel streets (d.3) Nonarterial road 5 (e.1) Capacity of rail transport (e.2) Capacity of road transport (e.3) Vehicular parking Score for 3.0 SCORE (c) for (d) Assessment: Highly needed 1443 1 2.0 Score for (e) 2 4 2.0
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