Sidewalk Design in the Downtown Area of Bacolod City: An Assessment of Physical Quality, Safety, and Sustainability

Abstract

performance may be weakened by discontinuity, obstruction, inaccessible transitions, traffic exposure, and inadequate climate response. This descriptive-assessment study examined sidewalk design in downtown Bacolod City in terms of physical quality, safety, and sustainability and used the findings to formulate preliminary design guidelines. Fifteen purposively selected stakeholders—three each from architecture, urban or environmental planning, local government, sidewalk users, and sidewalk vendors—rated 15 indicators on a four-point condition scale. Their ratings were analyzed descriptively, while researcher field notes, photographs, and comments contextualized recurring conditions. Overall means were poor for physical quality (M = 1.24), safety (M = 1.45), and sustainability (M = 1.25). Width (M = 1.53), vehicle separation (M = 1.73), and crossings (M = 1.53) were fair, but their usefulness was constrained by missing links, obstructions, damaged surfaces, inaccessible transitions, weak pedestrian lighting, hazards, limited shade, drainage problems, and poor cleanliness. The results support corridor-level interventions that first protect a continuous accessible path and safe crossings, then integrate drainage, shade, lighting, materials, maintenance, and management. The findings provide a diagnostic account of the assessed downtown corridors and a basis for subsequent segment-level technical assessment and implementation planning.