Pattern of pedestrian dissatisfaction on Heydarkhani Street, Narmak, Tehran

Mirzargar, Seyyed Hossein; Alalhesabi, Mehran

doi:10.22034/uep.2026.587573.1929

Pattern of pedestrian dissatisfaction on Heydarkhani Street, Narmak, Tehran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Seyyed Hossein Mirzargar ¹

Mehran Alalhesabi ²

¹ M.Sc., Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

² Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Architecture, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/uep.2026.587573.1929

Abstract

The dominance of automobile-oriented approaches and the decline in the quality of urban micro-spaces, particularly in neighborhoods with a modernist design background such as Narmak, have weakened the walking experience and increased users’ dissatisfaction with urban spaces. Walkability, as an effective approach in contemporary urban design, can play a significant role in improving the quality of urban environments. This study aims to identify patterns of users’ dissatisfaction with pedestrian experiences and to prioritize physical interventions on Heydarkhani Street. Adjacent to the university and Elm-o-Sanat Metro Station, this street is one of the neighborhood’s most heavily used corridors.
Using a descriptive-analytical research approach, the study was conducted based on data collected via a researcher-developed questionnaire featuring seven micro-spatial indicators, administered to 44 regular street users selected through convenience sampling. The collected data were analyzed through Spearman’s correlation coefficient, K-means cluster analysis, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), and decision-making models including the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and importance-performance analysis (IPA).
The findings indicate significant positive correlations among all evaluated indicators (ranging from 0.48 to 0.72), suggesting a relatively integrated pattern in users’ perception of dissatisfaction. Cluster analysis identified three user groups: highly dissatisfied users (32%), moderately dissatisfied users (54%), and slightly dissatisfied users (14%). Women were more prominent in the highly dissatisfied cluster. Furthermore, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) revealed that the lack of shading elements and resting spaces represented the primary concerns among women, while inadequate cycling infrastructure was the major concern among young male users. TOPSIS and importance-performance analysis (IPA) identified access to cycling routes and the quality of resting spaces as immediate intervention priorities.
The findings show that improving walkability on Heydarkhani Street requires a systemic approach that considers users’ perceptual differences and prioritizes the development of active mobility infrastructure and pedestrian resting spaces.

Keywords

Dissatisfaction pattern

Heydarkhani Street

Narmak

multiple correspondence analysis (MCA)

spatial prioritization

walkability

Subjects

Urban Studies

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