City walkability assessed: Mannheim rated for pedestrian friendliness

In the heart of Germany, the city of Mannheim is taking strides towards making its urban landscape more senior-friendly. The Mannheim Senior Survey, an integral part of the international research project Silver Ways, is collecting valuable data about walking routes and decision-making criteria for older people.

This survey is spearheaded by the Technical University of Cologne (TH Köln) and supported by esteemed institutions such as Heidelberg University, HeiGIT (Germany), Uppsala University (Sweden), Abdullah Gül University (Turkey), and the city administrations of Mannheim, Uppsala, and Kayseri. The European Union, through its Urban Changes program, has funded the Silver Ways project, which runs from January 2025 to June 2027.

The Mannheim Senior Survey invites seniors who regularly walk in the city to participate. By gathering insights from this group, the survey aims to develop a routing system tailored specifically to the needs of older people. The data collected will be used to create a senior-friendly walking path network, enhancing the city's pedestrian-friendliness.

Prof. Dr. Mirjam Blümm leads the Silver Ways project, with Prof. Dr. Konrad Förstner and other researchers contributing to the project's success. The survey, conducted within the project timeline, aims to provide valuable information about route choice for older people and co-design walking paths that cater to their unique needs.

The insights gained from the Mannheim Senior Survey will contribute significantly to the broader goals of the Silver Ways project, which is focused on improving urban infrastructure based on the needs of older people. As the survey comes to a close, the city of Mannheim and the wider research community eagerly await the results, which will undoubtedly pave the way for a more inclusive and accessible urban environment for all.