MYTHS AND REALITIES IN WALKABLE CATCHMENTS: THE CASE OF WALKING AND TRANSIT

Abstract

The concepts of walkable catchments is equally applicable to transit access points, which are one component of transit-oriented development and there is an emerging tendency to use the same walking distance criteria in estimating potential prime work-on prime or prime walk-off prime transit patronage. Data for Perth, Western Australia, demonstrate that the use of 400 m or even 800 m to define the walkable catchment for train station is at best simplistic and can be highly misleading, with many people walking significantly further than 800 m in suburban, regional center and central-city environments. This paper discusses analysis on actual walking distances for the Perth suburban rail system, as well as conclusions for the planning and development of transit systems. Language: en