Spatial quality index of slow routes. A multi-indicators GIS method for measuring spatial quality in the landscape of southern Milan

The current research aims at investigating a GIS-based method for measuring spatial quality of slow mobility routes, through mapping and statistical tools, with the aim to compare existing alternative routes but also to support design-choices of new routes. In the field of cultural tourism, slow routes have a great potential for economic and social development, and need to be assessed also in relation to their spatial quality implications. This paper tries to explore the effectiveness of a quantitative multiindicators approach for measuring spatial quality. The method refers to a set of criteria, that allow to measure the spatial quality of slow routes with: cultural heritage density, spatial composition of the crossed landscape, infrastructural connectivity, route-specific features. Each criterion has been assessed through different indicators with GIS tools. The landscape components have been measured through: land-use diversity, waterways, vegetation, protected areas; the level of infrastructural connectivity of the route has been estimated with: number of route-roads intersections and railway stations; the route-specific features have been evaluated through: comfort, user-friendliness and directness. The Monks Route, that crosses the agricultural landscape in the southern Milan, has been considered as case study to test the method. The Spatial Quality Index of Slow Routes (SQISR) is the main outcome of the research and it is shown through: numerical index, graded track and diagrams.