Assessing the Walkability of Kampala City.

Abstract

Walking as a mode of transportation is one of the more sustainable modes that are in demand as concerns about the spike in carbon emissions and the repercussions linked to this rise grow. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how walkable Kampala City is currently and to offer planners with information that will help them make decisions that would improve the city's streets for pedestrians. This assessment evaluates the status of the city using both an objective method, namely GIS, and subjective data, i.e., perceived walkability. This analysis takes into account a variety of factors, including household density and connectivity, with a final walkability map serving as the research's final deliverable. In order to conduct the subjective analysis, questionnaires were distributed to a group of students at Makerere University, and their responses were recorded. The results are based on an analysis of this data and the walkability map. There is less area available for residential use and the most intersections in Kampala's City Center, which makes up the majority of the city's central business district and is primarily used for commercial purposes. Also, the general population tends to be open to the notion of more walking activity owing to its multiple benefits, the most commonly cited being physical health and lowering the risk of obesity. However, the existing pedestrian facilities aren’t in good condition, and perhaps with more focus on them when planning the city, walking will become a convenient mode of transport. The results of the analysis using the chosen parameters showed that Kampala is predominantly car-dependent with some relatively few very walkable areas within the city