Is it really too far? Overestimating walk time and distance reduces walking

• Published in: Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour Vol. 74; pp. 522 - 535
• Main Authors: Ralph, Kelcie M., Smart, Michael J., Noland, Robert B., Wang, Sicheng, Cintron, Lisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2020; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Crime; Perceptions; Questions; Studies; Town centres; Travel time; Walking; Wayfinding; New Jersey; Walking; Perceptions; Travel time; Wayfinding
• ISSN: 1369-8478; 1873-5517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2020.09.009

•We survey 1,297 people about perceived distance and walk time to nearby destinations.•People tend to overestimate walk times and distance, which in turn reduces walking.•Familiarity with the area lower estimates while fear of getting lost increases them.•Wayfinding materials can correct overestimates about distance and increase walking.•Student samples differ from the general population. Use student data with caution.
In this paper we use an intercept survey of 1,297 people at seven locations in New Jersey to answer three questions about perceived distances and walk times to nearby destinations. First, we seek to clarify conflicting results from the literature by asking: what factors are associated with perceived distance and walk times? Like other studies, we find that people overestimate both walk times and distances. We find that characteristics of the route matter. People are more likely to overestimate in car-dependent locations, along routes with many turns or barriers, or for destinations that are relatively closer. In terms of personal characteristics, experience walking and familiarity with the area both lead to lower estimates, while concerns about crime, getting lost, or carrying something heavy increase estimates. Next, we explore whether overestimating walk times and distances reduces the likelihood of walking. We find that people who overestimate are less likely to walk, everything else equal. Together, these results suggest that wayfinding campaigns that clarify the travel time to nearby destinations and ease the fear of getting lost are likely to improve perceptions and increase walking. We make an additional contribution by highlighting important differences between our university and town center samples, which raises questions about the reliance on student samples in research.