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Pedestrian accessibility to public transport stops in Gdansk

This article was originally published here.

City planners in Gdansk can now use the Pedestrian Accessibility Model‘ – a mapping ‘tool’ to assess pedestrian accessibility to public transport stops. The developed Pedestrian Accessibility Model is an instrument that allows for more effective planning of investments, with care for the comfort of pedestrians. It is also a valuable source of information for residents who are looking for the shortest route to the bus stop, tram or train.

The Pedestrian Accessibility Model is the result of using the GIS technology, which is a basis for a dedicated internet applicationMap of pedestrian accessibility to public transport stops in Gdansk. Depending on the needs, the model will also be able to check the pedestrian accessibility of other points, facilities or areas in the city.

The works on the map took two years and was lead by the Gdansk Development Office. Gdansk is consistently looking for solutions that support carrying out tasks within Gdansk’s Development Strategy. A priority for mobility is convenient and safe accessibility on foot, by bike and by public transport. Previously, distances which didn’t reflect the actual condition of the pedestrian infrastructure and the existing spatial barriers were estimated. Now very accurate and precise data is used.

Thanks to the GIS technology it has become possible to accurately cover the map of Gdansk with a network of existing pedestrian routes: sidewalks, stairs, paths and passages created by residents. Each area of the city was verified to ensure that the network was as close as possible to real pedestrian routes. Planners can search new, potential connections of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure which will be included in local spatial development plans. Map functionalities will also be used by planners to study other aspects of accessibility in the city, e.g. to green areas or schools.

These activities are also a part of ‘15-Minute City’ idea. Walking instead of driving to school, shop or medical centre means less noise and exhaust fumes – it improves the quality of life in the city.

‘Map of pedestrian accessibility to public transport stops’ is a tool that can be used by all residents. The web application shows the distance to the selected bus, train or tram stop and the frequency of its service in a simple and legible way. The user can check whether their place of residence or work is within one of several defined ranges of the stop impact area. It can also verify the condition of pedestrian infrastructure in its vicinity and search for stops with a given frequency range of buses, trams or trains. A specially designed interface allows to filter selected content or export it to external files.

The map is used by planners from the Gdansk Development Office, but it will also be helpful for the Gdansk Pedestrian Officer and Public Transport Authority. Thanks to it, municipal units are able to improve the pedestrian and public transport infrastructure in order to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of Gdansk. The Pedestrian Accessibility Model and the application were created based on public available vector data on pedestrian routes e.g. OpenStreetMap. The coding methodology is based on assumptions developed by the authors. Information on the daily service frequency of each stop is obtained from open data delivered by public transport operators and companies: ZTM Gdansk, SKM and PKM Gdansk.

The tool is updated every few months and the development of new functionalities is also planned.

Link: New tool for city planners in Gdansk – a map of pedestrian accessibility to public transport stops

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