silver city walkability assessment a spatial documentation of all sidewalks, curbs, and pedestrian...

Silver CityWalkability Assessment

A spatial documentation of all sidewalks, curbs, and

pedestrian obstructions

Assessment Performed June 2011

Silver City Walkability Assessment:

Presentation Outline

1. Background Information (Who, What, When, & Where?)

2. The Need for a Walkability Assessment (Why?)

3. Methodology (How?)

4. Results: Prioritization & Baselines for Future Development

5. Benefits of such an Assessment

6. Questions & Answers

Background Information: Who? What? When? Where?

Who: Partnership among BA to MD Students from UNM, Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Grant County, Hidalgo Medical Services Residency Program, and the Town of Silver City

What: The BA to MD students from UNM are required to complete a health-related community project during their residency, and they chose to focus on pedestrian accessibility as one of many indicators of public health. The goal of the assessment was to create a survey tool that would allow the Town to geographically analyze its pedestrian infrastructure (sidewalks and curbs) in any part of the community.

When: The partnership completed the assessment over three weeks in June 2011; incomplete sidewalks were revisited in November

Where: The assessment covers all sidewalks, curbs, and obstructions within the Town of Silver City

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: Four Core Reasons

1. Lack of sidewalk connectivity and access discourages outdoor activity, leading to an inactive population with high rates of obesity and obesity-related diseases

2. The Downtown Action Plan and the 2010 Silver City Downtown Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Designation Report specifically identify sidewalks as an opportunity for improvement

3. There are more vehicles than ever on NM roads and infrastructure must adapt to preserve pedestrian safety

4. Silver City has a comparatively high proportion of people who routinely walk to work

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: Lack of Connectivity Contributes to

ObesityResearch has shown that people are more likely to be

physically active when they live in neighborhoods with better resources for exercise such as sidewalks, bike trails, parks and playgrounds. - RWJF, 2011 (http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/sdohseries2011neighborhood.pdf)

Current overweight and obesity levels among children and adults indicate that additional infrastructure, education, and access to resources are needed to improve public health:

- Around 40% of children in Grant County are overweight or obese (GCCHC, 2010-2011 BMI assessment)

- 66% of adults are overweight or obese (CDC, 2011)

Exercise is a proven method to prevent chronic disease!

http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/sdohseries2011neighborhood.pdf

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: Sidewalks Identified as an Opportunity for

ImprovementOn October 12, 2010, the Town of Silver City passed Resolution 2010-30, which stated:NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Silver City, GrantCounty, New Mexico that:1. The Town Council finds and determines that in downtown Silver City there are manydeteriorated structures, sites and other declining improvements, unsafe conditions, long term consequences of obsolete and impractical planning and platting, and low levels of commercial activity that substantially impair and arrest the sound growth and economic well being of the area and the Town.2. The Town Council finds and determines that this blighted area would benefit from ametropolitan redevelopment project or projects...

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: Sidewalks Identified as an Opportunity for

Improvement

“Streets, sidewalks, and curbs are patched and crumbling in

many areas of downtown.”

“Lack of sidewalks and curbcuts impairs the well being

of the area.”

New Mexico Population, Drivers, & Vehicle Registrations (1940 - 2010)

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Population

Registrations

Driving AgePopulation

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: Most Vehicles on the Road in NM

History

More vehicles than drivers starting in

1980

Sources: US Census Bureau; “Highway Statistics” from 1940 – 2009 by the Federal Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation, available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: High Gas Prices Encourage More

Walking

Source: Gas Buddy NM Historical Chart at www.gasbuddy.com

Monthly Average Gas Price for New Mexico, Past Five Years

(prices are generally higher in Silver City)

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: Silver City has a High Proportion of

WalkersIn Silver City, 9% of the working population

routinely walks to work (does not include those who work from home)

Is 9% a high proportion? As it turns out...

The Need for Pedestrian Safety: Silver City has a High Proportion of

Walkers

Rank GeographyPercent of

Workers who Walk to Work

1 Socorro 12%2 Silver City 9%3 Las Vegas 5%4 Shiprock 5%5 Portales 5%6 Santa Fe 4%7 Ruidoso 4%8 Raton 4%9 Gallup 4%

10 T or C 4%

NM Cities with at Least 2,000 Workers

In Silver City, 9% of the working population routinely walks to work (does not include

those who work from home)

Sources: US Census Bureau 2000, Table P30 “Means of Transportation to Work for Workers 16+ Years” (2010 data not yet available for our geography)

In fact, out of about 6,300 USA

cities with at least 2,000 workers,

Silver City ranks 341st in terms of percent of those

who walk to work (top 6% of

the country)

GeographyPercent of

Workers who Walk to Work

Boston, MA 13%Boulder, CO 10%

San Francisco, CA 10%Silver City 9%Chicago, IL 6%Denver, CO 5%

Portland, OR 5%USA 3%

El Paso, TX 2%Phoenix, AZ 2%

Other Major Cities for Comparison

Methodology: Definitions

Sidewalks

Curbs

Obstructions

To ensure accuracy and eliminate subjective opinions, the definitions were structured in a simple, “Yes or No” manner.

While a simplified methodology reduces some of the interesting, qualitative aspects of our infrastructure, it ensures data integrity and allows the Town to perform essential calculations and assessments.


Sidewalks

Curbs

ObstructionsComplete: The sidewalk is paved from curb to curb

and a pedestrian is able to traverse the entire length without having to leave the sidewalk

Partial: A portion of the sidewalk is paved, but the entire length is not paved from curb to curb or a pedestrian is forced off the sidewalk due to an obstruction or lack of right-of-way

No Sidewalk: The sidewalk is not paved from curb to curb


Sidewalks

Curbs

ObstructionsRamp: An ADA-accessible ramp is present at the sidewalk

intersection

Possible Ramp: A ramp is present at the sidewalk intersection; however, it is unclear if it meets ADA standards

No Ramp: No ramp is present at the sidewalk intersection


Sidewalks

Curbs

ObstructionsObstruction: A natural or human-made object that prevents a

pedestrian from traversing the length of the sidewalk; common examples are utility poles, landscaping, and fences/walls; obstructions do not include impermanent objects (low-hanging tree limbs, parked cars,

garbage cans, etc.)

Methodology: Process

A. The Town was divided into 23 sections and printed out as individual maps

B. The participants then walked or drove the streets with a clipboard and their paper map, and they color-coded their paper maps as follows:

Sidewalks:

Green: Complete

Red: Incomplete

Curbs:

Check: Ramp

Dot: Ramp, but might not be ADA accessible

An X: No Ramp

Obstructions were noted with an circle and a brief description

C. Sections that were deemed incomplete were revisited to map existing, partial sidewalks

Methodology: Process

These maps were then digitized with the mapping program ArcGIS. With digital files, we can now create printable maps and perform spatial analysis.

Results: Detailed Map

Results: Overall Maps

Sidewalks & Obstructions

Curb Ramps

Results: What is the Purpose?

This assessment has three main purposes:

1. Provide the Town with a tool that allows it to prioritize sidewalk development

2. Empower the Town to calculate benchmarks concerning the current infrastructure

3. Enable the Town to adapt and update the maps in order to gauge progress

For example, here are some hypothetical priorities:

A. All streets within a tenth of a mile of each school should have sidewalks

B. Census Block Groups with a high proportion of children should have at least 50% sidewalk and curb ramp coverage

C. Census Block Groups with a high proportion of workers who walk to work should have at least 50% sidewalk and curb ramp coverage

D. Specialized Queries with Customized Geographies!

Examples: Can Kids Safely Walk to School?

Tenth Mile Buffer

around Sixth Street

Elementary


Within 1/10 Mile:

44% of Sidewalks are Complete

14% of Sidewalks are Partially Complete

12% of Intersections have Ramps

Tenth Mile Buffer

around Sixth Street

Elementary


Within 1/4 Mile:




Quarter Mile Buffer

around Sixth Street

Elementary

Examples: Do Areas with Children have

Sidewalks?

Children 14 and Younger as a Percentage of Population by Census Block Group (2010)


Sidewalks?

Area with highest

concentration of children

14 and younger (24.6%)

Children 14 and Younger as a Percentage of Population by Census Block Group (2010)


Sidewalks?In the Census Block Group with the Highest Proportion of Children:


10% are Partially Complete


About 25% of the

population in the blue area is 14 or younger

Examples: Do Areas with Walkers have

Sidewalks?

Percent of Workers who Walk to Work

by Census Block Group

(2000)


Sidewalks?

Area with Highest

Concentration of Those

who Walk to Work (25%)

Percent of Workers who Walk to Work

by Census Block Group

(2000)


Sidewalks?In the Census Block Group with the Highest Proportion of Those who Walk to Work:




25% of the population in the blue area walks to work

Examples: Customized Geographies: Redevelopment

Area

The area outlined in red was officially designated as the Silver City Redevelopment Area.

We can use the exact same redevelopment area to analyze the sidewalks and curbs to get a broader sense of downtown infrastructure.

Examples: Customized Geographies: Redevelopment

AreaIn the Redevelopment Area:


9% are Partially Complete


Examples: Various Technical Possibilities

Can you get from A to B without leaving a sidewalk?

Here, only CONTIGUOUS, complete sidewalks are displayed (no islands of sidewalks) to get a sense of the network.

Benefits to the Town of Silver City:

Seamless, Empowering, Updatable, & Free

Seamless: The spatial files can be integrated or “overlaid” on any existing Town map

Empowering: Puts the analytical tools in the hands of the Town; prepares the Town for grants and contracts; positions the Town as a model community

Updatable: As the infrastructure changes, so can the maps and analyses

Free: The footwork, mapping, and file preparation were performed without charge



The Town currently uses the mapping program ArcGIS 10.

This analysis used ArcGIS 10.

The transfer of information was as easy as copying and pasting.

Further, the sidewalks, curbs, and obstructions can be overlaid on existing maps with ease.

- Zoning Map

- Town Council District Map

- Planning and Comprehensive Plan Maps

- Open Space Maps



The spatial files can be easily integrated into the Town’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Routes Master Plan. Work is currently under way to combine resources while this plan is finalized.

Also, the same calculations can be performed within ANY geography (How many curb ramps are there along the Pinos Altos corridor? How about in residential zones vs. commercial?)



With an in-house tool, the Town has total control over:

- Establishing areas or zones of improvement

- Establishing benchmarks

- Tracking progress

- Adapting plans as needed

The Town will not have to rely upon a third-party firm, which usually provides fixed, unchangeable maps that cannot be integrated into existing plans.



This tool also bolsters the Town’s ability to meet current regulations & react to new sources of funding (STIP funds, shovel-ready project funds similar to ARRA, ADA transition funds, etc.). If a new federal grant for sidewalk improvements came along, Silver City already has assessments, priorities, and benchmarks in place, giving us a head start on the application process.

There is a precedent of utilizing government funds for improving infrastructure embedded into the sidewalks themselves:



In a couple clicks, the status of sidewalks, curbs, and obstructions can be updated.

New roads, sidewalks, and curbs can be added.

The analysis can be re-calculated to track progress.

As the Town changes, so can the map.



Phase 1:




Phase 2:




Phase 3:




Ten people had a direct hand in this project, amassing a total of about 100 working hours.

Engineering and GIS consulting firms stated they would have charged between $50 - $100 an hour for such a project.

Thus, for working time alone, this project would have cost the Town between $5,000 - $10,000, and this doesn’t include proprietary charges, tax, usage fees, and other secondary costs.

Total actual cost to the Town: $0.00

Next Steps: Map Integration

Jim Coates in the Community Development Office has been facilitating community input sessions in preparation for the Pedestrian and Bicycle Routes Master Plan. During these sessions, residents have been plotting:

- Where they live

- Destinations on foot & by bicycle

- Destinations by vehicle

With this information, Mr. Coates and other planners are developing transportation corridors throughout town. The sidewalk and curb assessment will add a deeper understanding of on-the-ground conditions for these corridors and their tributaries.

Summary &Contact

This Walkability Assessment Tool is in line with our Mission Statement:

A. It empowers the Town to achieve “guided growth”

B. It “facilitates health” by addressing safe, pedestrian access to parks, open space, trails, stores, and services

C. Walking and outdoor activities are inherently linked with “recreational opportunities” and a “high quality of life”

Smart Government = Effective Government

Questions about Childhood Obesity in Grant County: Contact Andrea Sauer at [email protected]

Questions about the HMS Residency Program: Contact Tammy Ahner at [email protected]

Questions about Mapping: Contact Andy Sauer at [email protected]

silver city walkability assessment a spatial documentation of all sidewalks, curbs, and pedestrian...

Documents

downtown silver city

town of silver citywhat

town of silver citythe

pedestrian safetysilver

town council

incomplete sidewalks

pedestrian accessibility

bmi assessment