Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning and Walkability in the Post Pandemic era. Assessing the Role of Urban Enclaves.

Abstract

The process of economic, social, and cultural development leads to relevant changes in urban areas. Urban transformations usually generate a series of public and private real estate compounds which constitute real obstacles to urban walkability. The growing attention towards the sustainable development goals established on a global scale introduced new contents in urban redevelopment policies, aimed at favoring higher levels of accessibility in the consolidated fabric, particularly that of the pedestrian type. In addition, the recent pandemic has recently reassessed the role of pedestrian mobility as a primary way of moving instead of using other means of transport. As a result, urban walkability has moved at the core of the sustainable city paradigm. More precisely, issues related to accessibility and walkability should be considered when addressing the obstacle generated by those sites that can be properly defined ‘urban enclaves’, especially when abandoned or under redevelopment. These conditions may encourage the gradual reopening of these areas for citizens. Within this framework, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) can represent a strategic tool for identifying the critical aspects to face for the creation of a new network of pedestrian routes aimed at improving urban walkability. The objective of this study is to define a set of principles and criteria, both tangible and intangible, for calculating the proximity index (PI). The PI may consequently drive urban regeneration projects also through the design of new paths for crossing the enclaves to improve urban permeability and, therefore, the level of walkability