Towards Better Urban Mobility: A Comprehensive Assessment of Pedestrian Infrastructure in Naval, Biliran Province, Philippines
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Background
Pedestrian infrastructure quality significantly influences urban mobility, particularly in developing regions undergoing rapid urbanization. This study assesses pedestrian infrastructure in Naval, Biliran Province, Philippines—a municipality transitioning towards cityhood—to address mobility challenges and inform sustainable development planning.
Methods
A mixed-methods approach was employed using a validated assessment framework with 17 criteria aligned with Philippine accessibility standards. Data collection involved systematic field observations covering 12.20 kilometers across 15 streets in downtown Naval and structured interviews with 211 pedestrians. Assessment combined physical measurements, photographic documentation, and statistical analysis of user perceptions.
Results
Field assessments revealed significant deficiencies, with 87% of sidewalks failing to meet minimum width standards (1.20 meters) and 80% exhibiting inadequate headroom clearance. Surface discontinuities were documented in 73% of segments, while 67% showed moderate to severe obstructions. Despite high utilization rates (82.9% of respondents regularly walking), only 34.0% reported positive experiences with sidewalk conditions. Statistical analysis identified significant correlations between infrastructure quality and pedestrian behavior, with safety concerns forcing pedestrians into vehicular pathways. Principal concerns included inadequate width (32.70% dissatisfaction), poor lighting (50.98%), and stray animals (66.67%).
Conclusion
This study establishes an evidence base highlighting the need for strategic interventions in Naval's pedestrian infrastructure. Findings underscore significant gaps between current provision and user requirements, particularly regarding dimensions, surface quality, and safety features. By identifying specific deficiencies, this research provides municipal authorities with actionable data to prioritize improvements that enhance walkability, safety, and overall urban mobility in Naval and similar developing urban contexts.
Downloads
References
Adkins, A., Makarewicz, C., Scanze, M., Ingram, M., & Luhr, G. (2018). Contextualizing walkability: Do relationships between built environments and walking vary by socioeconomic context? Journal of American Planning Association, 83(3), 296-314.
Austroads. (2019). Guide to road design part 6A: Paths for walking and cycling. Austroads Ltd.
Axelson, P. W., Chesney, D. A., Galvan, D. V., Shah, J. B., Steger, K. A., & Vredenburgh, A. G. (1999). Designing sidewalks and trails for access. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
Banister, D. (2008). The sustainable mobility paradigm. Transport Policy, 15(2), 73-80.
Bereitschaft, B. (2017). Equity in pedestrian transportation: A neighborhood-level analysis of automobile-oriented environments in suburban Chicago. Local Environment, 22(3), 356-373.
Boarnet, M. G., Day, K., Alfonzo, M., Forsyth, A., & Oakes, M. (2006). The Irvine-Minnesota inventory to measure built environments: Reliability tests. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 30(2), 153-159.
Brown, S. C., Lombard, J., Wang, K., Byrne, M. M., Toro, M., Plater-Zyberk, E., Feaster, D. J., Kardys, J., Nardi, M. I., Perez-Gomez, G., Pantin, H. M., & Szapocznik, J. (2016). Neighborhood greenness and chronic health conditions in Medicare beneficiaries. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 50(1), 572-579.
Bullard, R. D. (1990). Dumping in Dixie: Race, class, and environmental quality. Westview Press.
Cervero, R., & Kockelman, K. (1997). Travel demand and the 3Ds: Density, diversity, and design. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 2(3), 199-219.
Cheng, L., Yang, J., & Zhou, Y. (2017). Climate-responsive pedestrian planning: A framework for tropical urban environments. Urban Planning, 9(2), 118-137.
Chu Li, P., Saha, M., Saugstad, M., Mankoff, J., & Froehlich, J. E. (2022). "I never realized sidewalks were a big deal": A case study of a community-driven sidewalk audit using Project Sidewalk. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction. https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642003
Clifton, K. J., Livi Smith, A. D., & Rodriguez, D. (2007). The development and testing of an audit for the pedestrian environment. Landscape and Urban Planning, 80(1-2), 95-110.
Clifton, K. J., Singleton, P. A., Muhs, C. D., & Schneider, R. J. (2016). Development of destination choice models for pedestrian travel. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 94, 255-265.
Cleto, R. C. (2017). Assessment of pedestrian facilities in main urban roads of Las Piñas City, Philippines. Civil Engineering Journal, 3(8), 555-571.
Connell, B. R., Jones, M., Mace, R., Mueller, J., Mullick, A., Ostroff, E., Sanford, J., Steinfeld, E., Story, M., & Vanderheiden, G. (1997). The principles of universal design. NC State University, The Center for Universal Design.
Damaceno, R. J. P., Leyden, K., Corley, C., Ferres, L., Saha, M., & Froehlich, J. E. (2023). SIDESEEING: A multimodal dataset and collection of tools for sidewalk assessment. arXiv preprint. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2407.06464
Department of Public Works and Highways. (2012). Road safety design manual. Republic of the Philippines.
Erraguntla, M., Delen, D., Agrawal, R. K., Madanagopal, K., & Mayer, R. (2017). Mobile-based sidewalk inventory app for smart communities, health, and safety. Suburban Sustainability, 5(1), 3.
Ewing, R., & Cervero, R. (2010). Travel and the built environment: A meta-analysis. Journal of American Planning Association, 76(3), 265-294.
Ewing, R., & Handy, S. (2009). Measuring the unmeasurable: Urban design qualities related to walkability. Journal of Urban Design, 14(1), 65-84.
Fillone, A. M., & Mateo-Babiano, I. (2018). Do I walk or ride the rickshaw? Examining the factors affecting first- and last-mile trip options in the historic district of Manila, Philippines. Journal of Transport and Land Use, 11(1), 237-254.
Forsyth, A., & Southworth, M. (2008). Cities afoot—Pedestrians, walkability and urban design. Journal of Urban Design, 13(1), 1-3.
Gao, Y., Du, D., & Furuya, N. (2025). Micro-scale built environment and pedestrian behavior: A focus on sidewalks in commercial districts in Tokyo. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 14(2), 416-428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2024.12.006
Gebremariam, D., Kuhilen, T., Seboka, H., & Grum, B. (2023). Effect of sidewalk design and obstructions on pedestrian mobility: A case study of the main streets of Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia. Advances in Civil Engineering, 2024, Article ID 5672280. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/5672280
Giles-Corti, B., Vernez-Moudon, A., Reis, R., Turrell, G., Dannenberg, A. L., Badland, H., Foster, S., Lowe, M., Sallis, J. F., Stevenson, M., & Owen, N. (2016). City planning and population health: A global challenge. The Lancet, 388(10062), 2912-2924.
Guillen, M. D., Ishida, H., & Okamoto, N. (2020). Is the use of streets with inadequate infrastructure safe for the vulnerable road users? Measurement of pedestrian behaviors in conflict-prone areas. IATSS Research, 44(1), 67-75.
Hoehner, C. M., Ivy, A., Brennan Ramirez, L. K., Handy, S., & Brownson, R. C. (2007). Active neighborhood checklist: A user-friendly and reliable tool for assessing activity friendliness. American Journal of Health Promotion, 21(6), 534-537.
Karaos, A. M., & Porio, E. (2015). Transforming the housing process in the Philippines: The role of local-global networks for sustainable development. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 58(10), 1728-1746.
Lee, S., Talen, E., & Anselin, L. (2021). Pedestrian walkability and neighborhood design: A citywide analysis of Chicago. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 147(3), 04021037.
Li, Y., Li, M., Xu, Y., & Tao, J. (2023). Visual landscape assessment and psychological restoration of pedestrian sidewalk space. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 13, Article 100382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2023.12.006
Lopez, M. A., & Santos, J. (2023). Pedestrian mobility patterns in medium-sized Philippine cities: Implications for infrastructure planning. Transport Policy, 129, 93-111.
Mace, R. (1985). Universal design: Barrier-free environments for everyone. Designers West.
Messier, L. (2025). Complete streets meet fragmented policies: Sidewalks in 30 U.S. cities. Cities, 157, 105588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.105588
Moura, F., Cambra, P., & Gonçalves, A. B. (2017). Measuring walkability for distinct pedestrian groups with a participatory assessment method: A case study in Lisbon. Landscape and Urban Planning, 157, 282-296.
Naghdizadegan Jahromi, M., Neysani Samany, N., Argany, M., & Mostafavi, M. A. (2025). Enhancing sidewalk accessibility assessment for wheelchair users: An adaptive weighting fuzzy-based approach. Heliyon, 11(1), e41101. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2405-8440(24)17132-0
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2020). 2020 Census of population and housing. Republic of the Philippines.
Regidor, J. R. F., & Javier, S. F. (2014). Walkability assessment of the road and public transportation network in the UP Diliman campus and its immediate environs. Philippine Engineering Journal, 35(1), 1-10.
Republic of the Philippines. (1983). Accessibility Law, Batas Pambansa Blg. 344. An Act to enhance the mobility of disabled persons.
Sangeeth, K., & Roy, U. K. (2025). Methodology for evaluating sidewalk based on continuous pedestrian movement on the sidewalk segment − A case study of Kochi city. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 31, 101393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2024.101393
Schlosberg, D. (2007). Defining environmental justice: Theories, movements, and nature. Oxford University Press.
Shuttleworth, M. (2008). Descriptive research design. Explorable. https://explorable.com/descriptive-research-design
Southworth, M. (2005). Designing the walkable city. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 131(4), 246-257.
Stefanidis, R. M., & Bartzakas-Tsiompras, A. (2023). Pedestrian accessibility analysis of sidewalk-specific networks: Insights from three Latin American central squares. Sustainability, 16(21), 9294. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219294
Steinfeld, E., & Maisel, J. (2012). Universal design: Creating inclusive environments. John Wiley & Sons.
Tolkan, A., et al. (2008). Central corridor pedestrian environment assessment tool. Central Corridor Design Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015 (A/RES/70/1).
Yu, X., Hoggenmüller, M., Tran, T. T. M., Wang, Y., & Tomitsch, M. (2023). Understanding the interaction between delivery robots and other road and sidewalk users: A study of user-generated online videos. ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642003
Yussif, A., Zayed, T., Taiwo, R., & Fares, A. (2023). Promoting sustainable urban mobility via automated sidewalk defect detection. Sustainable Development, 32(5), 5861-5881. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2999
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles published in our journal are licensed under CC-BY 4.0, which permits authors to retain copyright of their work. This license allows for unrestricted use, sharing, and reproduction of the articles, provided that proper credit is given to the original authors and the source.