Urban accessibility in historic built environments: A geomatics-based decision-support framework from mobile mapping data

Abstract Urban accessibility is a key component of inclusive and sustainable development, particularly in historic urban environments where complex spatial configurations and preservation constraints challenge standardised approaches. Traditional accessibility assessments are often based on regulatory thresholds and qualitative surveys, which limit their scalability and their ability to capture real spatial conditions. This paper presents a geomatics-based framework for the analysis of urban accessibility, integrating survey data acquired through Handheld Mobile Mapping Systems (HMMS), semi-automated feature extraction, and Geographic Information System (GIS) modelling. The proposed methodology focuses on the identification and measurement of accessibility-related features, including sidewalk geometry, obstacles, and covered areas, which are translated into structured indicators and associated with a pedestrian network. The extracted data are integrated into a GIS environment, where accessibility conditions are encoded as attributes and constraints of network segments. This enables the implementation of accessibility-oriented routing analyses, supporting the computation of paths adapted to different user needs. The methodology is tested in the historic city centre of Mantua (Italy), where the workflow demonstrates its ability to represent local accessibility conditions and to generate alternative routing scenarios based on measurable parameters. Results show that HMMS data provide an effective balance between acquisition efficiency and geometric detail, allowing the extraction of relevant features at the urban scale. The integration of geomatics and GIS enables the transformation of spatial data into operational tools for accessibility analysis, supporting both planning activities and real-world applications. The proposed framework contributes to bridging the gap between data acquisition and decision-making processes, offering a replicable approach for the analysis and management of accessibility in complex urban environments.