Revealed historical city corridors as walkable places: The case of Trabzon

In this research, a walkability-based planning model according to the corridor function is presented historical city corridors in Ortahisar/Trabzon. In the research scope has been covered historical corridors in 3 different periods; Komnenian Dynasty Period (1204-1461), Ottoman State Period (1461-1923) and Early Period of the Republic of Turkey (1923-1960). WP (Walking Preference) Survey was conducted with 597 participants to identify criteria that should be considered for planning historic corridors as walkable spaces. With the "Exploratory Factor Analysis" used analysis of the questionnaire, 21 expressions and 8 factors (attractive walking, presences of facility and urban furniture in walking, traffic density in walking, safe walking, walking for everyone, walking duration, walking in every condition and time, slope in walking) were revealed. An expert questionaire was conducted with 30 expert participants to understand the functions of historical corridors. In Trabzon, 57 corridor elements were determined and their effects on 4 functions (trade, history/culture/tourism, recreation, ecology) were determined. The point location of each element in the study area was determined and processed in ArcGIS 10.7 program. Density maps of kernel point density analysis were prepared. A corridor function map was prepared by determining the 10 functions that the corridors are loaded by considering the point density and corridor characteristics. Finally, a focus group interview was conducted with 9 participants. In this process, the criteria obtained in the WP survey were developed and 45 criteria were determined under 8 factors; the importance levels of all the criteria obtained were determined for 4 main functions. After, diagrams showing the effects of walkability criteria on corridor functions were created and mapped. A proposal map was created on a sample corridor with the collage technique. In the study, it was concluded that the importance of walkability criteria should differ according to the functions of historical corridors.