| Keywords |
Free walker ; Urban environment ; Walking speed ; Step length ; Walking with companion |
| Abstract |
This study explored whether walking patterns in urban street could be influenced by pedestrian density and walking with companions. Camcorder recording at two pedestrian streets (low density; LD vs. high density; HD) during two time span (morning; M vs. afternoon: A) was performed for 60 minutes in February thru April. A total of 6,413 (2,218 for LD, 4,195 for HD) free walkers were recorded and 221, 548, 288, 1,176 for LD-M, LD-A, HD-M, HDA, respectively, was analyzed. The recorded motion was analyzed using a counter and Dart Fish for the pedestrian density, step length (SL), and walking speed (WS). SL was the longest (67.6±8.2 cm) and WS was fastest (1.31±0.22 m/sec) during LD-M when the pedestrian density (3.86 n/m2/h; P<0.001) was the lowest. When male and female were separately analyzed, the trend stood only for female. When individual walked with companion, WS (1.21±0.18 m/sec) was the fastest and SL was greatest (64.2±8.2 cm) during LD-M (P<0.001). However, walking alone reversed the trend such that HD-A (109.93 n/m2/h) showed the fastest (1.41±0.22 m/sec) and the greatest (72.1±8.4 cm). Based on the results, walking speed was faster as the pedestrian density was lower, the trend was obvious for female free walkers. Walking speed during walking with companion was slower as the density increased. However, walking alone was faster at the lowest and the highest pedestrian density. |