SnowHowYear-round active mobility – resources and network

Resources

5 resources

  • ResearchMethod

    A Seasonal Study of the Spatial Quality of Cold Streets Based on Activity Portrait Indexes (APIs)

    Yang Ye, Yi Huang, Sitong Yang, Wenshu Lou, Tong Li, Xin Tang, Hangjian Yu · 2026 · China

    This study develops an Activity Portrait Index (API) framework to assess the seasonal quality of urban streets in Harbin, China, a city with extremely cold winters. Based on observations of 37 street segments, the method evaluates pedestrian activity levels, diversity of activities and the demographic diversity of street users across different seasons. The findings highlight how the qualities that support street activity change throughout the year: wind protection, thermal comfort and connections between indoor and outdoor spaces become particularly important in winter, while greenery, ventilation and opportunities for outdoor staying gain importance during warmer periods. The study provides an evidence-based approach for evaluating and designing streets that remain attractive, accessible and socially active throughout the year.

    • Planning & Design
    • Data & Monitoring
    • Health, Safety & Wellbeing
  • Research

    Heat stress and active travel, an eight-year national analysis in The Netherlands

    Maarten Hogeweij, Coen Bongers, Kevin Raaphorst, Huub Ploegmakers · 2026 · Netherlands

    This nationwide Dutch study investigates how heat stress affects walking and cycling behaviour using travel survey data from 178,247 respondents across eight summers (2016–2023). It examines how thermal conditions influence both the decision to travel and the duration of active travel, distinguishing between commuting and recreational journeys. The findings reveal that walking and cycling generally increase with warmer conditions but decline once heat stress becomes severe, particularly for recreational trips. Work-related active travel is less responsive to heat, suggesting that commuters may have fewer opportunities to adapt their travel behaviour. The study also explores whether urban tree canopy cover mitigates the negative effects of heat, finding limited and inconsistent evidence. The results highlight the importance of heat-resilient urban design and policies that support safe, accessible walking and cycling during increasingly frequent hot weather.

    • Data & Monitoring
    • Behaviour & Mobility Management
  • Research

    Revealing the impact of weather on changes in individual-level habitual cycling frequencies using a Bayesian framework

    Yangqian Cai, Mads Paulsen · 2026 · Switzerland

    This study uses longitudinal GPS data from 698 cyclists in Switzerland to investigate how weather conditions influence changes in habitual cycling frequency. Using Bayesian changepoint detection, it identifies the effects of snowfall, precipitation and temperature, while highlighting differences associated with e-bike ownership and cycling experience.

    • Data & Monitoring
    • Behaviour & Mobility Management
  • Report

    Development of Diagnostics-Interventions Toolkit for Enabling Year-Round Active Mobility

    Miloš N. Mladenović · 2024 · Baltic Sea Region

    Report describes the development of Diagnostics-Interventions Toolkit for diagnosing contextualized challenges and responding to those with identifying adequate interventions. The development of this toolkit has been done in close collaboration between planning practitioners and researchers, through a series of questionnaires, interviews, site visits, and workshops, supported by research-based and professional literature scans, all integrated through soft systems methods.

    • Planning & Design
    • Behaviour & Mobility Management
  • Research

    Thermal comfort range and influence factor of urban pedestrian streets in severe cold regions

    Hong Jin, Siqi Liu, Jian Kang · 2019 · China

    This empirical study investigates outdoor thermal comfort on two pedestrian streets in Harbin, China, using on-site microclimate measurements and pedestrian surveys across different seasons. The researchers establish a locally adapted Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) assessment and identify an acceptable thermal range of −3.8°C to +23.0°C for more than 80% of respondents. The findings demonstrate that thermal adaptation, length of residence, activity type and demographic characteristics influence perceived comfort, with long-term residents showing greater tolerance of cold conditions. The study provides valuable evidence for assessing pedestrian thermal comfort and developing climate-responsive street environments that support walking throughout the year.

    • Planning & Design
    • Data & Monitoring
    • Health, Safety & Wellbeing