Pedestrianization: A Step toward urban sustainability

During the past half century undisputed dominance of the automobile in the city has caused major predicament such as environmental degradation, air pollution, and low quality urban spaces. On the other hand has caused decreased access to urban services, the high volume of traffic, pollution and insecurity in cities. With rising of these setbacks, in recent decades the approach of urban planning is formed to make urban areas more humane by increasing pedestrianization, due to the required mobility of pedestrians in the city. On the other hands, walking is one of the sustainable methods of transport, and can make urban areas more full filling on physical, social, environmental, cultural, political and economic aspects of sustainability.The purpose of this paper is to review and recognize the increasing task of pedestrianization as a model of sustainable development. The paper will first review the concept of walking and pedestrianization in city and influencing attitudes and factors on it, and then review the role of pedestrianization in sustainability. Recommending strategies would introduce to promote pedestrianization in future cities, in order to achieve the sustainability criteria. The methodology selected would be archival and qualitative. The results of the study shows that attention to the pedestrian-oriented transportation and increased pedestrianization in urban areas in recent decades that have direct relation to the vitality, safety, attractiveness of space, is basic. They are valuable steps towards reducing environmental pollution and less automobile dependence and fossil energy, and would increase quality of life and finally would cause sustainability, liveliness and vibrant cities.

Pedestrianization: A Step toward urban sustainability Keywords:

Pedestrianization , Sustainability , Sustainable cities , Sustainable transport