Living Streets Alliance Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood Walkability Assessment Report

(Recommended reading section - pages 20-23)
From October 2013 through May 2014, Living Streets Alliance conducted a Neighborhood Walkability Assessment Program in five neighborhoods. The Program was informed by participant feedback and lessons learned from the pilot phase of the program (February to April 2013).

Through the Neighborhood Walkability Assessments, LSA engaged residents in thinking and learning about walkability, while helping them identify the challenges that discourage walking and the assets that encourage walking in their neighborhoods. The program gave residents the opportunity to share their personal experiences of their neighborhood streets from a pedestrian perspective and initiated a conversation about neighborhood priorities regarding possible future improvements to the walking environment.

Program Goals

• Explore and evaluate methods for collecting and assessing qualitative information from neighborhoods regarding walkability and pedestrian safety and comfort.
• Educate residents of the greater Tucson region about the benefits of walking and having walkable neighborhoods.
• Share walking safety tips and “rules of the road” with participants.
• Engage residents in identifying their neighborhood walkability assets and challenges.
• Explore and evaluate ways to identify improvements based on resident input through walkability assessments.
• Explore and evaluate ways to communicate recommendations and data summaries with neighborhoods.
• Work to get relevant elected and appointed officials and/or local jurisdiction staff to attend components of the walkability assessment.
• Contribute to the PAG 2014 Pedestrian Plan Update.
• Continue to develop LSA’s regional walkability database and document the walkability needs across the greater Tucson region.

Each Neighborhood Walkability Assessment consisted of three components: a Walkability Workshop, a Neighborhood Walk & Talk, and a Walkability Audit.