Life is a journey, and every journey always begins with walking. Therefore, having beautiful and inviting pedestrian pathways is the starting point for a good journey in the daily lives of city dwellers. The concept of designing spaces around public transport stations, known as TOD (Transit Oriented Development)<\/strong><\/span>, emphasizes the creation of pedestrian networks to connect various areas of the city to public transport stations. This pedestrian network encourages people to walk to use public transport instead of relying on personal vehicles.

1. Reach the Station within 10 Minutes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

The design concept for pedestrian networks based on TOD typically lays out networks in two ranges: a 400-meter radius and an 800-meter radius from the public transport station. Both ranges must be designed to ensure that people can walk to the station within 10 minutes, which is a distance and time that people can comfortably walk without feeling that the public transport station is too far away to reach.

In densely populated urban areas, stations are usually spaced about 800 to 1,200 meters apart to ensure that the pedestrian network covers a distance of no more than 800 meters from community areas. It is noticeable that urban rail stations are often not far apart, allowing people to walk from one station to another without feeling overly fatigued, or they can choose to walk to the station closest to their destination to save on travel costs.

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2. Attractive Features<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

            Billboards, trees, shops, pedestrian design, and cityscapes are all elements that attract people to use pedestrian networks to access public transport instead of personal vehicles. In particular, shops along the pathways serve as a draw for people to walk, as it is more convenient to access these shops on foot rather than by car, which may not have sufficient parking available.

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Along the pathways, there should be benches under the shade of trees and in front of shops where people can rest or use as meeting points to wait for friends. This makes pedestrian pathways not just routes for transit but also connections that bring urban communities together.

Essential to these pathways is the experience of walking past buildings or places with beautiful architectural designs, whether they are old or new. All of these contribute to the city's identity, serving as landmarks or tourist attractions, making the city more walkable for both residents and visitors who wish to experience it up close.

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3. Diverse Pedestrian Pathways<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

            The creation of pedestrian networks is not limited to just elevated sidewalks that run parallel to roadways. It also includes various types of pathways that offer citizens diverse options for their walking routes, such as:

-  Shortcut Paths<\/em> In every city, we can find small alleyways that may not be as beautiful as main roads but can save time during rush hours. They are also suitable for those who prefer to avoid crowded paths and are important for accessing residential areas, acting like the capillaries of the city, allowing residents to walk to public transport stations, which are the heart of their journeys, right from their front doors.

- Indoor Pathways<\/em> In mixed-use developments in city centers, the design emphasizes diverse usage, combining offices, residences, and shopping centers within buildings. Therefore, indoor pathways must be designed to connect with external walkways.

Thus, indoor pathways are considered part of the pedestrian network, providing an option for people to cut through buildings and exit onto the street on the other side instead of taking a longer route around the building, which adds unnecessary time to their journey.

            For example, at Osaka's subway station, people can enter the station from nearby shopping centers like Yodobashi Camera and Grand Front Osaka, which are office and shopping buildings. They can walk through these buildings to access the skywalk leading directly to the station. Other indoor pathways in the vicinity also connect to the skywalk leading to the subway station.

- Underground Pathways<\/em> Another popular type of pedestrian network is the design of underground pathways following TOD principles. This design is not just about access to the subway station but should also connect with the basements of surrounding buildings, allowing users to avoid wasting time walking outside the subway station to reach their desired buildings.

For instance, at Osaka's subway station, there are underground pathways connecting to buildings within a 400-meter radius, including nearby subway stations like Osaka Umeda, Nishi Umeda, Kita Shinchi, and Higashi Umeda, as well as all shopping centers. During the morning and evening rush hours at Osaka station, you will rarely see locals walking on the surface; they often choose to walk underground between the subway station and their workplaces, as it is a shortcut that avoids waiting for traffic signals and also provides shelter from rain and Osaka's cold weather.

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- Pathways on Plazas<\/em> Plazas near tall buildings and parks also count as pedestrian pathways, as they allow people to walk through these open spaces to reach their desired buildings. Most plazas are designed with landscape architecture principles, considering city views, sunlight direction, and wind flow, making them shaded areas in the morning and evening, suitable for hosting significant city events or serving as meeting points for community activities.

For example, at the Westminster subway station in London, England, there are pathways designed like parks and tourist spots that allow access to several buildings, including St. James's Park and Parliament Square Garden. If traveling by boat, one can walk from Westminster Pier along the River Thames to the subway station.

The highlight of the plaza pathways near Westminster station is the view of the Big Ben tower, the London Eye, and Westminster Bridge, all while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the River Thames.

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All of this shows that the design of pedestrian networks according to TOD principles not only focuses on creating connections to public transport stations but also emphasizes the creation of diverse pathways for urban residents. This is because each person's lifestyle is different, and the choices of pathways in life will also vary accordingly.

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Thanks to information from SRT Asset Co., Ltd.<\/em>,www.kinder.rice.edu<\/a> <\/em>(<\/em>The Kinder Institute for Urban Research<\/em>)<\/em><\/p>