Changes in Walkable Streets during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Suburban City in the Osaka Metropolitan Area

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the walkable streets where traffic behavior changed according to each residential cluster during the COVID-19 pandemic. By elucidating the changes, it is possible to identify streets that should be redesigned following the changes in traffic behavior in relation to human mobility. This study analyzed Ibaraki City, a suburban city located in the Osaka Metropolitan Area. The analysis compared the panel data of the GPS Location History for April 2020 and April 2019. The analysis method used was Empirical Bayesian kriging. The results show that the speed significantly increased in the dense, sprawl, mountain, and old NT clusters. It was also found that the number of cyclists increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest a need to design walkable streets according to each residential cluster for the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. For example, some car lanes need to be converted to bike lanes in the main neighborhood to create walkable streets in the clusters.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Home Range in a Suburban City in the Osaka Metropolitan Area

“…The analysis was conducted on panel data from April 2019 to April 2020 using the case study of Ibaraki City. The period and area of the LH data are the same as that of the studies of Kato [14] and Kato et al [15]. Using the LH data, this study clarified the home range by utilizing MCP.…”

“…During the first state of emergency in Ibaraki City in Osaka Metropolitan area, Kato [14] reported that dense human space-times were formed in the parks as well as in the stations. Similarly, Kato et al [15] reported an increasing number of bicycle trips. Those studies suggest that the home range might be decreased to the neighborhood scale due to the state of emergency.…”

“…In Ibaraki City, the information distributed by the government frequently warned of increased population density in its parks [38]. Second, Kato et al [15] reported an increased number of bicycle trips, which suggests that people moved around the neighborhood. As in Houston and parts of Seattle, Doubleday et al [39] found that the number of people who walked and rode bicycles increased with the government's stay home order.…”

“…Governments and municipalities have used GPS data provided by Agoop Corporation for the control of the COVID-19 infection [29]. In addition, Kato [14] and Kato et al [15] studied human mobility using the LH data provided by Agoop Corporation. Therefore, the LH data was validated as high-quality data used in policymaking and research to control the pandemic.…”

Which Residential Clusters of Walkability Affect Future Population from the Perspective of Real Estate Prices in the Osaka Metropolitan Area?

“…Since 2019, walkability has begun to attract attention because urban policies related to walkability are being developed. Kato [7] and Kato et al [8,9] clarified that the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic accelerated the need for walkable neighborhoods in the Osaka metropolitan area. Therefore, it is essential to understand the impact of walkability on future populations, as this will enable us to take a practical approach to future urban planning.…”