This study aimed to enhance urban environments for the elderly by assessing walkability in the Takanodai area of Senri New Town, Japan. Seven indicators for walkability were selected through a literature review, and a quantitative evaluation using the seven indicators was conducted. The results are presented in a heat map of walkability, and shows that pedestrian-only paths scored lower than roadways in detached house residential areas. This suggests that slopes and stairs of pedestrian-only paths were not considered obstacles at the time of construction of the new town, and have remained unchanged over time. It is possibly due to a low level of awareness on addressing barrier-free issues by whom? in the past. In contrast, pedestrianized street in public housing zone scored higher than others. The reason for this may be that the public housing zone was designed with better green space and sidewalks. The study's findings could inform improvement areas for future urban development for creating walkable cities accessible to all citizens.
Keywords: walkability, elderly, slopes and stairs, Newtown, urban development