Post earthquake pedestrian traffic – Christchurch

Abstract

Pedestrian counts are an important indication of inner-city vitality and critical information for many retailers who are targeting passing foot traffic. For these reasons, pedestrian counts are also of significance to valuation practitioners, property investors and developers, financiers, planners and others interested in the current state and long- term trends of central business districts. Since 1957 the New Zealand Institute of Valuers has regularly surveyed pedestrian foot traffic in the CBD of Christchurch, but this process lapsed after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. This paper reports on a project to re- establish these central city pedestrian counts, but also expand them to include greater levels of information about the people frequenting the city. An important feature was to use current university students to facilitate this increased level of analysis as well as introduce them to market analysis processes and techniques.