An urban intervention to transform the school surroundings in Barcelona: A mixed-methods evaluation of “Let's Protect Schools” effects on road safety, street liveliness, and wellbeing

Abstract

This study assesses the effects of the “Let's Protect Schools” initiative on road safety, street liveliness, and wellbeing in the surroundings of schools in Barcelona. The “Let's Protect Schools” initiative aims to build healthier and safer spaces to promote outdoor play and social interaction by implementing permanent changes on school surroundings (such as traffic-calm measures, greenery, and new urban furniture, etc.). We designed a convergent mixed-methods parallel study based on a quasiexperimental pre-post design with comparison group. The study analysed quantitative and qualitative data from systematic observations of school surroundings, intercept surveys to students and their families, and an online survey sent to school principals and parent's associations. Our results suggest that perceived road safety and wellbeing clearly improved. Dwell time, social interaction and space playability improved or did not worsen. Traffic-calm measures emerged as key facilitators of intervention enhancements.