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Barcelona's unique walking patterns defy one-size-fits-all mobility policies

Walking is essential for urban sustainability and quality of life in any city, yet little is known about how pedestrians actually get around in public, or what urban and social factors influence their walking patterns.

Now, a new study by researchers from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) shows that pedestrian behavior in Barcelona varies significantly between neighborhoods.

What's more, factors that encourage walking in one part of the city may discourage it in others. For this reason, the researchers warn policymakers that city-wide mobility solutions may not reflect the complexity of urban environments, especially in a city like Barcelona.

To improve urban planning, they recommend introducing mobility policies tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of each neighborhood.

This is one of the main findings of the study "Trends and drivers of pedestrian mobility in Barcelona: A fine-grained study across its commercial tissue," in the open access journal Cities.

The research is based on high-resolution data collected over five years from 115 pedestrian count sensors installed at key locations across the city.

It is one of the most detailed urban-level analyses of pedestrian mobility in Europe to date and one of the few of its kind in the world. The results provide valuable insights into the factors that influence walking patterns and how these can be managed through targeted interventions.

The study provides a detailed picture of how pedestrian flows evolved in Barcelona between 2017 and 2022, excluding the pandemic lockdown period.

It examines how different urban and social characteristics affect pedestrian mobility, which, the authors point out, is far from uniform across the city.

"In fact, it varies according to a combination of factors such as the presence of public transport, commercial activity and street layout," said Albert Solé, a researcher with Complex Systems (CoSIN3) in the UOC's Digital Transformation, AI and Technology Unit and a member of the Faculty of Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunications.

Also participating in the study from the UOC were fellow CoSIN3 researchers Clément Rames (also affiliated with EPFL), Daniel Rhoads and Javier Borge, as well as Professor Antoni Meseguer from the Digital Business (DigiBiz) research group at the Faculty of Economics and Business. The University of Barcelona was represented by Sergi Lozano, from the Faculty of Economics and Business and a member of the Institute of Complex Systems.

The results point to an overall increase in footfall across the city, but also to significant differences between neighborhoods: some areas have seen steady growth, while others show declines or seasonal fluctuations. This variability is driven by up to seven factors that influence pedestrian mobility, including the extent of traffic-calmed streets, access to public transport and the density of local shops.

One of the key methodological advances of the study is the use of spatial regression models, which allow researchers to understand how the impact of each variable changes depending on location.

"We found that the same factor can have a positive effect in one neighborhood and a negative effect in another. That's why we're advocating much more context-specific urban planning that recognizes these local differences. Our models help to show how these factors work differently in different areas of the city, which is crucial for designing more targeted and efficient mobility policies," explained the UOC researcher and project leader.

How do pedestrians get around in Barcelona?

The researchers found that proximity to metro and bus stations has a direct impact on footfall, especially in the city center. However, this relationship does not apply equally to all neighborhoods; in more peripheral areas, walking patterns reflect different dynamics, often more closely linked to private car use.

Areas with elevated levels of commercial activity are also clear pedestrian magnets, although their influence is not always consistent. In some tourism-heavy areas, particularly in the city center, the influx of visitors leads to high footfall that doesn't necessarily translate into benefits for local businesses. In other areas, the density of shops is more closely linked to the resident population, resulting in more stable walking patterns.

Among the trends observed, the presence of pedestrian-only zones has a clear and positive effect on walking, especially in highly frequented tourist areas such as Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter and El Born.

Public transport (particularly the density of bus stops) is also associated with increased footfall, especially in central districts where the network is denser. Meanwhile, the number of vehicles per inhabitant has a clear negative effect on pedestrian mobility, especially in the outer, higher-income neighborhoods such as Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Vila de Gràcia.

Moreover, the presence of local shops tends to encourage walking in residential areas, but this effect is less pronounced (or even negative) in highly gentrified or tourist-oriented areas such as Sant Antoni or the Gothic Quarter. The concentration of bars, restaurants and hotels is another factor whose impact varies considerably between districts.

Unexpectedly, green spaces generally show a negative correlation with footfall. However, the authors suggest that this is because many parks are located on the outskirts of the city or in less accessible areas and are not typically part of main walking routes.

"Although green spaces offer many benefits, the data show that they are not often used as transit routes, but rather as places to linger. This, among other factors, may explain why they don't seem to encourage walking as much," explained Solé.

A tool for the urban planning of the future

The authors of the study emphasize that their research could serve as an important tool for urban planners. By using data from pedestrian count sensors, it is possible to gain detailed, real-time insights into mobility patterns, enabling scientific evidence-based decision-making.

"It's virtually impossible to know how many people walk in Barcelona without automated data, but thanks to these sensors we can make reliable estimates by neighborhood, pavement and time of day," explained the CoSIN3 researcher.

This method could be used to optimize the design of urban infrastructure, improve the distribution of services and ensure more efficient and inclusive mobility.

The study lays the groundwork for extrapolating this fine-grained approach to pedestrian mobility analysis in other cities, helping to implement data-driven strategies that improve residents' quality of life.

However, the authors stress that the findings from Barcelona may not be directly transferable to other places due to the city's unique characteristics. Therefore, based on current knowledge, each case should be studied individually.