Vol. 6 No. 2 (2025)

Standard Journal Issues

The Impact of Urban Street Characteristics on Walking Attractiveness and Humanization: A Study of The Streets of Kut City Center

Published 2025-09-08

  • Yaqeen Haider Hadi
    • ,
  • Ihsan Abbas Jassim

Yaqeen Haider Hadi
Architectural Engineering Department, Engineering College, Wasit University

Ihsan Abbas Jassim
Architectural Engineering Department, Engineering College, Wasit University

Abstract

Recently, many cities have faced significant challenges that directly impact the quality of life of their residents due to rapid urban growth. One of the most pressing issues is the encroachment on public spaces due to vehicle traffic, resulting in a decline in pedestrian-friendly environments. The concept of "humanizing cities" is central to contemporary urban design, focusing on improving the quality of urban life by redesigning public spaces to meet the needs of individuals and enhance comfort, safety, and social interaction. The importance of this study lies in addressing the challenges Iraqi cities face in creating pedestrian-friendly urban environments, particularly in medium-sized cities like Kut, which have witnessed rapid urban development in recent decades. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical methodology, combining field observations and user surveys to assess street characteristics, including sidewalk width, availability of green spaces, and safety levels. A statistical analysis using a five-point Likert scale was conducted to demonstrate the relationship between street design and pedestrian satisfaction. This study, therefore, identifies the most significant street features that enhance humanization and evaluates how each street in the Kut city center applies these principles. It also compared city center streets based on these attributes. The results indicated that pedestrian satisfaction is closely related to key physical features, such as sidewalk width, green spaces, and safety measures. Streets with these attributes scored higher in comfort and walkability, while those lacking them experienced lower pedestrian participation. That highlights the importance of prioritizing human-centered design to create inclusive, safe, and vibrant urban spaces.

Keywords

Humanize City, City Center Street, Humanization Streets, Physical Street Features

PDF

References

  1. D. Ros-McDonnell, M. V. de-la-Fuente-Aragón, L. Ros-McDonnell, and M. Cardós, “Toward Resilient Urban Design: Pedestrians as an Important Element of City Design,” Urban Sci., vol. 8, no. 2, p. 65, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.3390/urbansci8020065. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8020065 .
  2. I. A. Jasim, T. Sh. Mahmood, S. K. Al-Mamoori, and L. A. Al-Maliki, The relationship between traffic congestion and land uses: A case study of Al-Kut city, Iraq,” J. Urban Regen. Renew., vol. 14, no. 3, p. 264, Mar. 2021, doi: 10.69554/AGYB2553. https://doi.org/10.69554/AGYB2553
  3. S. Gill, “The Impact of Car-Centric Urban Design on Social Interaction and Health,” Urban Stud., vol. 47, no. 7, pp. 1443–1461, 2010, doi: 10.1177/0042098010371336. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098010371336 .
  4. J. Gehl, Cities for People. Island Press, 2010. https://islandpress.org/books/cities-people
  5. M. Abouhassan, R. Anwar, and S. Elkhateeb, “Humanizing Public Open Spaces in Jeddah: The Case of Prince Majid Park,” Sustainability, vol. 17, no. 6, p. 2551, Mar. 2025, doi: 10.3390/su17062551. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062551.
  6. Y. Haider, I. Abbas, and M. Awad, “Discussing Urban Terms: A critical Study Of the Concepts Sustainable, Complete, Liveable And Humanized Streets,” vol. 13, no. 1, 2025. https://iasj.rdd.edu.iq/journals/uploads/2025/03/17/912e08842f0bdbddf7891648b488ec78.pdf.
  7. I. A. Jasim, A. A. Al-Jaberi, L. A. Al-Maliki, N. Al-Ansari, and S. K. Al-Mamoori, “Do the population density and coverage rate of transit affect the public transport contribution?,” Cogent Eng., vol. 9, no. 1, p. 2143059, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.1080/23311916.2022.2143059. . https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2022.2143059.
  8. Orsini, F., Batista, M., Friedrich, B., Gastaldi, M., & Rossi, R. (2023). Before-after safety analysis of a shared space implementation. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 12(2), 101021. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2307.01058.
  9. A. Forsyth, M. Hearst, J. M. Oakes, and K. H. Schmitz, “Design and Destinations: Factors Influencing Walking and Total Physical Activity,” Urban Stud., vol. 45, no. 9, pp. 1973–1996, Aug. 2008, doi: 10.1177/0042098008093386. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098008093386.
  10. M. Carmona, Public Places, Urban Spaces: The Dimensions of Urban Design, 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2010. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315158457
  11. X. Mu, L. Mu, and J. Zhang, “The Impact of Street Elements on Pedestrian Stopping Behavior in Commercial Pedestrian Streets from the Perspective of Commercial Vitality,” Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 17, p. 7727, Sep. 2024, doi: 10.3390/su16177727. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177727 .
  12. F. Daghistani and M. A. Abduljabbar, “An urban design decision-support framework for distancing walkway pedestrians from traffic-related particulate matter,” Sustain. Futur., vol. 7, p. 100210, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.sftr.2024.100210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2024.100210.
  13. J. Ma et al., “Evaluation of Skid Resistance and Comfort of Pedestrian Pavement with Asphalt-Based Wood Chip,” Buildings, vol. 14, no. 6, p. 1512, https://www.mdpi.com/2800654May 2024, doi: 10.3390/buildings14061512. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061512.
  14. Nursanty, E., Rusmiatmoko, D., & Widiantara, I. W. A. (2024). Shaping city identity: The role of built environment quality. E3S Web of Conferences, 533, 04028. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202453304028
  15. J. Gehl, Cities for People. Island Press, 2015.
  16. J. A. Salmond et al., “Health and climate related ecosystem services provided by street trees in the urban environment,” Environ. Health, vol. 15, no. S1, p. S36, Dec. 2016, doi: 10.1186/s12940-016-0103-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-016-0103-6.
  17. D. A. Quistberg, T. D. Koepsell, L. N. Boyle, J. J. Miranda, B. D. Johnston, and B. E. Ebel, “Pedestrian signalization and the risk of pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions in Lima, Peru,” Accid. Anal. Prev., vol. 70, pp. 273–281, Sep. 2014, doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2014.04.012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2014.04.012.
  18. K. Lee et al., “Assessing the impact of bicycle infrastructure on safety and operations using microsimulation and surrogate safety measures: A case study in Downtown Atlanta,” Int. J. Transp. Sci. Technol., vol. 18, pp. 148–159, Jun. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.ijtst.2024.06.002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijtst.2024.06.002.
  19. N. El Hama and M. Helmy, “Humanising Commercial Streets as a Tool for Social Sustainability,” IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci., vol. 1283, no. 1, p. 012014, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1283/1/012014. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1283/1/012014.
  20. Z. S. Belge and M. A. Ercan, “Mobility and the Role of Pedestrian in the Making of Public Space: The Case Study of Mersin,” Transportation Research Procedia, vol. 60, pp. 386–393, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.trpro.2021.12.050. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2021.12.050.
  21. R. Ewing, O. Clemente, K. M. Neckerman, M. Purciel-Hill, J. W. Quinn, and A. Rundle, Measuring Urban Design. Washington, DC: Island Press/Center for Resource Economics, 2013. doi: 10.5822/978-1-61091-209-9. https://doi.org/10.5822/978-1-61091-209-9.
  22. Y. Tao, Y. Wang, X. Wang, G. Tian, and S. Zhang, “Measuring the Correlation between Human Activity Density and Streetscape Perceptions: An Analysis Based on Baidu Street View Images in Zhengzhou, China,” Land, vol. 11, no. 3, p. 400, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.3390/land11030400. . https://doi.org/10.3390/land11030400.
  23. Stoker, P., Garfinkel-Castro, A., Khayesi, M., Odero, W., Mwangi, M. N., Peden, M., & Ewing, R. (2015). Pedestrian safety and the built environment: A review of the risk factors. Journal of Planning Literature, 30(4), 377–392. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885412215595438.
  24. K. Lynch, The image of the city, 33. print. in Publication of the Joint Center for Urban studies. Cambridge, Mass.: M.I.T. Press, 2008. https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/image-city.
  25. E. Nursanty, D. Rusmiatmoko, and I. W. A. Widiantara, "Shaping City Identity: The Role of Built Environment Quality," E3S Web of Conferences, vol. 533, art. no. 04028, 2024. [Online . Available: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202453304028
  26. V. Mehta, “Streets and social life in cities: A taxonomy of sociability,” Urban Des. Int., vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 16–37, 2019, doi: 10.1057/s41289-018-0069-9. Available: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41289-018-0069-9.
  27. Saleh, A. S. (2024). Humanizing cities: Strategies to enhance sustainability and inclusiveness in urban planning. Journal of Al-Farahidi's Arts, 9(1) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388890662_Humanizing_Cities_Strategies_to_Enhance_Sustainability_and_Inclusiveness_in_Urban_Planning.
  28. S. Hao, “Exploring the public value of streets in the context of rapid urbanization,” E3S Web Conf., vol. 283, p. 02032, 2021, doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/202128302032https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202128302032.
  29. I. A. Jasim, L. A. Al-Maliki, and S. K. Al-Mamoori, "The impact of urban morphology on transportation: a case study of the city of Al-Kut, Iraq," Environ. Socio.-econ. Stud., vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 68–76, 2022. [Online . Available: https://doi.org/10.2478/environ-2022-0006.
  30. I. Jasim, "Paradigm shifting of urban planning to postmodernism: The Influence of Planning Theories in Iraqi Cities - Al Kut City as case study," J. STEPS Humanit. Soc. Sci., vol. 1, no. 1, Jan. 2022. [Online . Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/3587444399.
  31. Wasit Municipal Council, “Al-Kut city master plan 2020–2040.” 2020.
  32. I. A. Jasim, A. A. Al-Jaberi, L. A. Al-Maliki, N. Al-Ansari, and S. K. Al-Mamoori, “Do the population density and coverage rate of transit affect the public transport contribution?,” Cogent Eng., vol. 9, no. 1, p. 2143059, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.1080/23311916.2022.2143059. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2022.2143059.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Similar Articles

11-20 of 38

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.