What Makes a Streetscape Appeal to Pedestrians?

Researchers who studied the appeal of New York City streetscapes find an additionally significant factor on the streets of Salt Lake City: the photo op.

2 minute read

August 12, 2015, 2:00 PM PDT

By Emily Calhoun


Selfie in action

Sasha Kargaltsev / Selfie in action

A recent study by planning scholar Reid Ewing determined that three streetscape features significantly correlate to pedestrian use in NYC: active use (i.e., streets with schools, busy office buildings and parks); the presence of street furniture (such as ATMs, parking meters, and benches); and first-floor window-to-façade ratio (the proportion of windows on a building’s façade).  But New York City is not called the Greatest City on Earth for nothing. As Laura Bliss writes, "There’s so much that sets New York apart from other American cities: its density, its walkability, its spread of urban versus suburban development, among others. What about smaller towns?"

Ewing’s new study of Salt Lake City suggests that to achieve walkability, planners in other cities might want to also ask: can it be Instagrammed?

The Salt Lake City study was designed to determine whether pedestrians in a less dense city with an average level of metropolitan sprawl were drawn to streetscapes with the same features found to be significant in NYC. While two of the three factors—active use and windows—contributed to the significance of what the researchers termed transparency on 179 blocks in Salt Lake City, of additional importance was the imageability of a streetscape.

Imageability, Bliss writes, "is what makes a place distinctive and memorable—a visual identity that could be made of parks or plazas, unique views or vistas, old or unusual architecture, and al fresco dining."

The relative importance of imageability is still widely unknown. However, reports last winter of young girls taking selfies in front of an active building explosion site in NYC’s East Village suggest that, as Bliss reports, "walkability is about more than density, street-level retail, or any one design quality in isolation."

Wednesday, July 29, 2015 in CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Washington

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing

A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

May 1 - Streetsblog USA

Bluebird sitting on branch of green bush.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire

Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

May 1 - AP News

1984 Olympics

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles

LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.

May 1 - Newsweek

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.