Evaluating the Accessibility of Pedestrian Sidewalks to Connect Public Transport: A Pilot Study in Valparaíso, Chile

The need to assess whether accessibility in urban mobility meets the required standards to provide a satisfactory experience for users is emphasized. The general objective of this research is to evaluate pedestrian accessibility in urban mobility, taking as a case study different access points such as the sidewalks and crossings between the trolleybus system and the EFE metro system in Valparaíso. Specific objectives have been set, including identifying the area to study and the elements to evaluate, designing an evaluation system, and applying descriptive and numerical methods for the assessment. The methodology used includes two approaches: the descriptive, which provides a detailed view of accessibility conditions in each evaluated area, highlighting aspects such as physical condition and compliance with regulations, and the numerical, which assigns quantitative values to the elements being assessed to establish a classification of accessibility levels. Additionally, a survey was conducted to obtain a subjective view of pedestrian preferences. Based on the above, evaluating pedestrian accessibility in urban mobility in Valparaíso allowed for identifying aspects that require improvement to ensure a satisfactory experience for users. Furthermore, it promotes the use of both transportation systems and provides recommendations for future research.