Rethinking Walkability: The Slowness Quality Index for Last-Mile University Pathways

Walking through the urban environment is the simplest yet most immersive way for individuals to engage with their civic role and participate in society, while also experiencing the value of slowness. Analyzing and measuring the quality of pathways that connect points of interest within a city serves as a means to highlight slowness—a concept often neglected in public policies—and to improve the urban context, thereby strengthening neighborhood livability. This article proposes the development of the Slowness Quality Index as an analytical tool for assessing urban pedestrian routes that residents and city users regularly use. The index is explained and tested through a case study on a "last-mile" university pathway, which connects a railway station to a university in the city of Milan. The results evaluate the index construction methodology and offer a decision-making tool for urban planners and local administrators to improve pedestrian routes in urban areas.