Document Type

Honors Project

First Advisor

Dr. Sandy Zook

Degree Award Date

Spring 5-2-2026

Keywords

campus walkability, pedestrian safety, accessibility, built environment, infrastructure

Disciplines

Infrastructure | Models and Methods | Political Science | Public Administration | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Transportation | Urban Studies | Urban Studies and Planning

Abstract

This study examines campus walkability and pedestrian safety at Bridgewater College by treating the campus as a small-scale built environment in which pedestrian movement, infrastructure quality, and driver behavior intersect. Using a mixed-method approach, the project combines a structured built-environment audit of four campus zones with a perception-based survey to evaluate five major walkability dimensions: navigability, sidewalk quality, crosswalk quality, lighting, and driving law compliance. The findings suggest that Bridgewater College is generally a walkable campus overall, but that walkability is not equally strong across all areas or conditions. The audit identified weaknesses in sidewalk quality, curb-ramp consistency, lighting, and conflict points near entrances and crossings, while survey responses showed that participants most often experienced barriers such as uneven or cracked sidewalks, mud or standing water, snow or ice, and concerns about safety after dark. Looking at these results, they show that walkability depends not only on the presence of pedestrian infrastructure, but on whether routes are connected, accessible, maintained, and perceived as safe in daily use. The project ultimately argues that campus walkability should be understood as a practical and equity-related issue tied to pedestrian safety, accessibility, and long-term planning.

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