Street Network and Walkability Assessment
Analysis of street network connectivity and pedestrian infrastructure quality across Vijayawada's planning zones using graph-based metrics and field surveys.
Context
Indian cities have prioritized vehicular traffic over pedestrian movement in street design standards for decades. This has resulted in fragmented pedestrian networks, missing footpaths, and hostile walking environments in most urban zones.
Problem Statement
How walkable is Vijayawada's street network? Where are the critical missing links in pedestrian infrastructure, and which neighborhoods suffer the most from poor walkability scores?
Methodology
OSMnx Python library for street network extraction and graph analysis. Walkability scoring based on connectivity (intersection density, street connectivity ratio), pedestrian infrastructure (footpath availability from field surveys), and proximity to services.
Analysis
Graph-theoretic metrics for 14 planning zones. Field survey of 200+ road segments for footpath quality assessment. Composite walkability index mapped at block level.
Insights
Central business district (CBD) shows highest connectivity but poor pedestrian infrastructure quality. Residential colonies in Patamata and Moghalrajpuram show good pedestrian environments but low connectivity. New residential areas show grid layouts but lack pedestrian amenities.
Outcome
Street improvement proposals for 18 priority corridors. Recommendations adopted in Vijayawada Smart City project for street redesign pilot zones.