Towards a Walkable City: Evaluating the Design and the Physical Conditions of Urban Sidewalks in Nablus City Using GIS

Abstract

Walking is a primary means of transportation in developing countries, but poor pedestrian infrastructure poses a barrier to achieving urban sustainability. This research aims to assess the condition of sidewalks in Nablus through a field study of 1,418 randomly selected street segments analyzed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The analysis addressed four main aspects of sidewalks: (1) sidewalk availability; (2) sidewalk width; (3) sidewalk surface quality; and (4) obstacles that limit their use. The results showed that 46% of the segments lack sidewalks at all, and that the vast majority of existing sidewalks are no more than 2 meters wide. It also revealed that 80% of surfaces are of average quality, and that 34% of the segments suffer from both permanent and temporary obstructions. These results reveal fundamental gaps that limit pedestrian safety and accessibility. The study recommends combining high-cost physical interventions to widen and improve sidewalks with low-cost legal and regulatory measures to remove obstacles and control violations, thus contributing to enhancing walkability and achieving more sustainable cities.