Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
6-11-2025
Abstract
Introduction: Approximately 80% of Americans do not meet minimum guidelines for regular physical activity. Among ways to promote physical activity is to optimize the Built Environment to promote and increase access to walking and cycling. Walkable and accessible university campus environments and proximal communities can promote physical activity and are assessed and compared in this study. Purpose and Methods: Approximately 20 million students attend colleges and universities in the United States with over 100,000 students enrolled in the state of Connecticut. These students can potentially engage in physical activity within a campus or around the surrounding communities for university related activities – like traveling from class to class or for leisure. Using the CDC’s walkability audit tool, the walkability of university campuses in the state of Connecticut are being assessed and compared to the walkability scores of the proximal communities to the campuses. To date, ten campuses and communities have been assessed with more to be included by the date of the presentation/poster. Walkability audit (WA) scores for the CDC WA tool generally range between a minimum of 20 and maximum of 100 allocated points derived from Likert scale responses. WA scores are weighted with high, medium, and low priority variables. For example, a high priority variable is the presence or absence of crosswalks. A medium priority variable is the size of a sidewalk or path, and a low priority variable is the presence or absence of light. When individual scores are weighted and calculated together, an aggregate range score between 0-39 represents a high-risk and unappealing environment, followed by 40-69 a medium- risk and average environment, and finally a score of 70 and above numerically describes a low-risk and pleasant environment for walking. Initial Results: The average WA scores for assessed university and college campuses is 74 (63-82 range) compared to 51 (24-80 range) for the communities proximal to the university and college campuses. Initial findings point to a significant contrast between the walkability of the campus and proximal community. Subsequently collected data will include confidence intervals for data and a rank order of high, medium, and low priority and risk variables on campuses and within communities assessed by the WA tool. Conclusions and Applications: Knowledge of the walkability of a university campus compared to the community proximal to the campus can potentially direct and inform infrastructure to optimize the walkability, bike ability, and accessibility of university campuses and proximal and surrounding communities. Similar to findings that associate walkable communities with increased real estate values, more walkable college campuses and communities can potentially promote health and also attract more students, faculty, and staff to health promoting campuses and communities.
Recommended Citation
Bjerke, W. (2025, June 11-13). Assessment of walkability of university campus and communities: Associations with perceived safety & student retention [Conference paper]. Science, Technology & Engineering, Arts, Mathematics & Education, Prince Waikiki Resort, Honolulu, Hawaii
Conference Name
2025 Hawaii University International Conferences
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Comments
2025 Hawaii University International Conferences Science, Technology & Engineering, Arts, Mathematics & Education June 11 - 13, 2025