Abstract

Safe Routes to Parks and Transit: A GIS Approach
Track: Transportation
Authors: Joe Punsalan, Tasha Davis

The City of La Mesa is leading efforts to improve walkability, bicycling and access to transit and parks for environmental and health reasons. This project's purpose was to identify deficiencies as it relates to non-motorized access to transit and city parks. Using Network Analyst, we were able to identify walksheds from these facilities which formed the basis of data collection, existing and future demographic impact analysis, physical deficiencies and improvements, recommended projects and project prioritization. GIS provided an efficient method to determine a real-time footprint for volunteers to collect data and perform different analyses such as identifying urban trail alignments, park accessibility gaps and future impacts relating to increased park land. The result was a comprehensive list of projects, policies and costs to improve amenities and accessibility for city parks and transit facilities. GIS methodologies allowed the project to stay within budget and on track with an accelerated schedule.