An analysis of the relationship between walkability and social sustainability: A case study of the city of Sabzavar

Nowadays, one of the concerns of urban planning is achieving urban sustainability in all dimensions, including social sustainability. According to the New Urbanism approach, a very important physical-spatial factor affecting social sustainability is the walkability. According to the followers of this approach, walkability can help to create a healthy and sustainable community. This paper has investigated the relationship between the walkability and the components of social sustainability in the city of Sabzevar by a survey research. The sample size is 400 people selected randomly and according to the population share of each neighborhood of the total population of the city. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The results of the research show the positive effect of walkability on place attachment, residential satisfaction and social equity in access to services, but walkability does not have a significant effect on the sense of security and social capital. In general, there is a significant relationship between walkability and social sustainability in neighborhoods. Therefore, it can be said that increasing the walkability in urban areas can help social stability.