A Toolkit: Fostering a Participatory Study of Sustainable Pavement Development

Abstract

Walking is a popular transport means for seniors doing daily errands, and pedestrian pavements play a key role in influencing the quality of older people’s walking. Walking experience of older pedestrians and their perspectives to the outdoor environment are crucial in planning and designing pavements. However, their walking experience and perspective on the pavement are less involved in the process of urban development. A participatory toolkit is created providing a chance for older people to share their walking experience and to indicate their opinions of the pavement in a group study conducted by researchers who develop the pedestrian environment. The tool allows users to identify hazardous factors of the pavement, seek the impact of pavement hazards, and improve the pavement using recommendations. Based on the outputs of the toolkit, the researchers can have a better understanding of the relationship between pavements and elderly people and create an age-friendly pedestrian environment.