Automotive retrofits in historic city centres and their potential effects on their walkability: a comparison of San Luis Obispo, CA, USA and Bath, England, UK

Historic city centers often face trade-offs between accommodating automotive infrastructure and preserving walkability, with parking retrofits frequently disrupting pedestrian-friendly environments. A comparison of Bath, England, and San Luis Obispo, California, reveals that Bath's stricter limits on surface parking in its historic core yield higher walkability scores than those in San Luis Obispo, where more extensive parking retrofits fragment the relationship between buildings and walkways. The study analyzed case studies, planning documents, preservation literature, and walkability indicators to quantify these effects, demonstrating how urban design choices can either enhance or diminish pedestrian accessibility in heritage areas.

Bass, B. J., & Livingston, M. (2018). Automotive retrofits in historic city centres and their potential effects on their walkability: a comparison of San Luis Obispo, CA, USA and Bath, England, UK. Journal of Urban Design, 24(2), 290–304. https://doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2018.1551055