Does improving the physical street environment create satisfactory and active streets? Evidence from Seoul's Design Street Project

- Street-improvement projects increased the level of pedestrian satisfaction.
- Street-improvement projects failed to increase the level of pedestrian volume.
- Street-environment improvements should deal with urban complexity at various scales.

As the overall interest regarding pedestrian-friendly environments grows, street-improvement projects are continually implemented. These projects aim to encourage walking activities and promote street-based social activities through the improvement of pedestrian environments; however, only a few studies have empirically evaluated the impact of street improvement on pedestrian satisfaction and pedestrian volume. The present research study examines the influence of the Design Street Project of Seoul, Korea, for which sidewalks, public spaces, and the other physical elements of streets were improved. For a difference-in-difference analysis, the pedestrian-satisfaction levels and the pedestrian volumes of the Design Streets and the matching areas from before and after the implementation of the Design Street Project are compared. Multilevel models indicate that the improvement of the street environment positively influences pedestrian-satisfaction levels, but is not effective for increasing the pedestrian volume. The results imply that the physical improvement of street environments can be effective for the elevation of pedestrian-satisfaction levels, as well as quality of life.