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Polycap Chesifu Chebe:Walking the City: The Impact of Road and Street Design on Pedestrian Mobility and Sense of Place

Polycap Chesifu Chebe:Walking the City: The Impact of Road and Street Design on Pedestrian Mobility and Sense of Place

seminar lecture-PhD Student in Urban Planning

Supervised by Prof. Karel Martens

Monday 03.08.2026

at 15:30 in Peka Gallery, 2nd floor in Amado Building.

Abstract

Roads and streets in urban environments serve both as corridors for movement and as spaces for socio-economic activity. Their design determines who benefits from them. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), urban roads often prioritize motorized traffic, even though walking is the dominant mode of transport. This research examines how urban road design influences perceived walkability, walking behavior, and sense of place (SoP) in SSA cities. The study offers practical insights for transport stakeholders aiming to improve walkability and promote streets as spaces for community and civic life in rapidly urbanizing and motorizing contexts. It also lays the groundwork for future research by proposing a novel methodological approach to measuring street-level perceived walkability and exploring the under-researched relationship between street design, perceived walkability, walking behavior, and SoP.

Contact information: Chebe | 058-554-1008 | email: chebechesifu@campus.technion.ac.il