Application of the path walkability index (PAWDEX) model: a case study of retail walking pattern recognition in Taman University Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

The terms 'Walkability' and 'Walking Behavior' have been controversial issues in urban planning, urban design, transportation planning, and public health. Policy-makers, planners and designers are investigating to find specific methods or models towards measuring built environment variables influencing individuals' perception in walking. Recently 'Path Walkability Index' (PAWDEX) was developed to be used by Malaysian local government to enhance path environments based on its end-users (residents). The current paper presented a case study to show a practical example for walking behavior pattern recognition using PAWDEX. It was used to measure path environmental variables impact on residents' retail walking behavior. The PAWDEX was applied within Taman University Neighborhood located in Skudai, Johor, Malaysia; which has three (3) different shopping centers. PAWDEX measures path environmental variables for each shopping center destination within a local neighborhood area of the overall neighborhood influencing residents' retail walking. Furthermore, a PAWDEX base line is introduced to recognize and differentiate different walking behavior decision patterns towards each shopping center. In conclusion, the PAWDEX findings show different patterns of walking behavior of residents towards each shopping destination, these were affected by different socio-economic and environmental characteristics of shopping center destinations