Energizing Street Life of Urban Neighborhoods: Qualitative Narratives Versus Quantitative Metrics

Abstract

This study examines a multitude of built environment attributes that potentially work together to energize urban neighborhood street life. It analyzes the impact of mixed-use and street network arrangements on pedestrian presence in the public realm. The study investigates pertinent land use and street network indices as well as spatial analysis techniques that rationalize active street configurational requisites. Mixed-use evenness and distribution, street network connectivity, and space syntax tools are explained with an eye on their utility in planning and designing active urban streets. The analytical approach of this study shifts the discourse from a focus on aesthetic considerations of the built environment to an integrated theoretical framework that underscores the dialectical dynamics between built environment and individuals. The study ultimately aims to establish a planning/design agenda that potentially guides the assessment and development of active urban neighborhood streets. Keywords: Neighborhood design, mixed-use, urban grain, smart growth, street network walkability, space syntax, active streets