The dimensions of accessibility: proximity, opportunities, values

The dimensions of accessibility: proximity, opportunities, values | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The dimensions of accessibility: proximity, opportunities, values Matteo Bruno, Bruno Campanelli, Hygor Piaget Monteiro Melo, Lavinia Rossi Mori, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7482832/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 28 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in EPJ Data Science → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Accessibility is essential for designing inclusive urban systems. However, the attempt to capture the complexity of accessibility in a single universal metric has often limited its effective use in design, measurement, and governance across various fields. Building on the work of Levinson and Wu, we emphasise that accessibility consists of several key dimensions. Specifically, we introduce a conceptual framework that defines accessibility through three main dimensions: \textit{Proximity} (which pertains to active, short-range accessibility to local services and amenities), \textit{Opportunity} (which refers to quick access to relevant non-local resources, such as jobs or major cultural venues), and \textit{Value} (which encompasses the overall quality and personal significance assigned to specific points of interest). While it is generally beneficial to improve accessibility, different users and contexts present unique trade-offs that make a one-size-fits-all solution neither practical nor desirable. Our framework establishes a foundation for a quantitative and integrative approach to modelling accessibility. It considers the complex interactions among its various dimensions and facilitates more systematic analysis, comparison, and decision-making across diverse contexts. Accessibility Mobility Cities Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 28 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in EPJ Data Science → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 04 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 03 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 16 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 05 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 02 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 01 Sep, 2025 First submitted to journal 28 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7482832","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":512617932,"identity":"5bacf0cb-6432-45fe-ac34-640a34ff1a6c","order_by":0,"name":"Matteo Bruno","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAz0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBCDBDD5gTjFzIwNMC2MM0jWwsxDjAbd9vPHH3yoYMgzn5F78LHNH5s8gwPMDx/dwKPF7EwyY+OMMwzFMjfyko1z29KKDQ6wGRvn4NNyIJmxmbeNIXGGRI6ZdG7D4cQNB3jYpPFqOf+YsfkvTIvFH2K03ADawgjTwsBGlJbHhjN7zkgUS/C8MTbsbUtLnHmYkF/OJz748KPCJk+CPcfwwY8/Nol9x5sfPsanBQokEEyFw4SVowH5BpK1jIJRMApGwTAHACcaTY2ghqbTAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Sony Computer Science Laboratories - Rome","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Matteo","middleName":"","lastName":"Bruno","suffix":""},{"id":512617933,"identity":"f5bb1b2d-80be-470a-be1a-8642eca06a06","order_by":1,"name":"Bruno Campanelli","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sony Computer Science Laboratories - Rome","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bruno","middleName":"","lastName":"Campanelli","suffix":""},{"id":512617934,"identity":"d689ccde-8b55-4349-85f6-4dbd819cf885","order_by":2,"name":"Hygor Piaget Monteiro Melo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Fortaleza","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hygor","middleName":"Piaget Monteiro","lastName":"Melo","suffix":""},{"id":512617935,"identity":"1064d2d4-c623-42c0-a2a7-41b4181557fc","order_by":3,"name":"Lavinia Rossi Mori","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sapienza University of Rome","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lavinia","middleName":"Rossi","lastName":"Mori","suffix":""},{"id":512617936,"identity":"69c7369d-047e-4ab5-8755-770c40549a7a","order_by":4,"name":"Vittorio Loreto","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sapienza University of Rome","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vittorio","middleName":"","lastName":"Loreto","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-28 18:53:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7482832/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7482832/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-026-00623-8","type":"published","date":"2026-01-28T15:58:48+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":101691952,"identity":"4b6207d8-113c-4ac9-97b7-304049f24f52","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-02 16:16:27","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1275389,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PACKAGESUBMISSION.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7482832/v1_covered_728f8ec8-9013-4921-b7e6-2b9a1282cad0.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The dimensions of accessibility: proximity, opportunities, values","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"epj-data-science","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epds","sideBox":"Learn more about [EPJ Data Science](https://epjdatascience.springeropen.com/)","snPcode":"13688","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/13688/3","title":"EPJ Data Science","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Open","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Accessibility, Mobility, Cities","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7482832/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7482832/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Accessibility is essential for designing inclusive urban systems. 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