Abstract

Predicting Land use changes in the City of Cincinnati
Track: Urban and Regional Planning
Authors: Tharini Jeyaprakash, Xinhao Wang

The feasibility study for the streetcar plan in the City of Cincinnati was completed in year 2007. The plan anticipates mixed land use and economic development in Downtown Cincinnati and its adjacent neighborhoods. However, it does not include an accurate prediction of land use change. Many people are skeptical of the benefits as they lack a vision of the future. The investigation team conducted a quantitative GIS analysis using What If?, a GIS based software to predict land use change. Input of the model includes existing land use, zoning, and other city infrastructure layers. The analysis results were visualized as a land use model and 3-D model. With the integration of land use modeling and GIS visualization the citizens will better understand the benefits of a mass transportation system for a future of the city. The methodology used in this analysis can be applied for other cities or regions.