Research on Child-Friendly Improvements to Streets in the Primary School Surrounding Area -Take Shenzhen Haijing 2nd Road as an example-

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) The ongoing urban expansion has resulted in a fragmented built environment, decreased density, and restricted public space, rendering city streets and their public areas unfriendly for children and impeding their opportunities for independent mobility, play, and social interaction. The purpose of this study is to provide basic information for the improvement of child-friendly streets in Shenzhen based on the street improvement plan of Haijing 2nd Road around a foreign language primary school in Yantian District, Shenzhen, promote its application to improve the urban street environment, promote the construction and development of child-friendly cities, and improve children’s rights to survival and development. (Method) After determining the definition and scope of the above needs, examining their causes and types, and determining improvement goals, this research used the “Convention on the Rights of the Child” by the United Nations as a guide, and derived five improvement principles, namely Children’s Life Safety Principles, Children’s Survival and Protection Principles, Children’s Walkability Principles, Children’s Fun, and Convenience Principle, and summarized 15 elements for the improvement of streets around primary schools. Based on the elements, with the five principles as the standard, a survey study and comprehensive analysis of the streets around a primary school in Yantian District, Shenzhen City, was conducted. The feasibility of child-friendly street improvement applications is explored through improvement programs. (Results) The research applies five design principles in developing a scheme for Haijing Road 2 in Yantian District, Shenzhen, to find a suitable design methodology to investigate child-friendly improvements for streets. There are 15 key elements of a child-friendly street environment, including Entrance and Exit Space, Road Space, Parking Spaces, Crime Prevention Equipment, Traffic Signs, Notice Boards, Interactive Facilities, Pedestrian Space, Traffic Calming, Pedestrian Lights, Smooth Traffic Flow, Bus Stops, Green Space, Barrier-Free Facilities, Resting Facilities, and Waiting Facilities. In addition, the above elements are rationally used and applied to the study of improving streets in the area surrounding the elementary school. (Conclusions) To solve the problem of the complexity of traffic and the lack of places for children to use on the route to and from school in the area around primary schools, this study explores the relationship between streets and children, describes the impacts of child-friendly improvements to streets on the city and children, and proposes a child-friendly improvement plan that is in line with Haijing Road in Yantian District, Shenzhen. This study is expected to provide valuable information about the streets in the surrounding area of schools for all ages in Shenzhen.