Re: [H+T--Friends] Sidewalk registry

FHWA funded a Small Business Innovation Research project to develop an app to gather sidewalk network data. The work was conducted by Knowledge Based Systems Inc. in Texas; they're in Phase II now, and will be piloting the app in various locations around the country. But that's just an entry point for such data, similar to the apps that Ed described. I don't know of anyone working currently on a national sidewalk registry. FHWA is also starting work with various USDOT offices to develop systematic data formats for nonmotorized networks (i.e. connected facilities) and to develop supporting policy aimed at improving network quality. The latter effort will eventually yield a national database of networked facilities. We're interesting in being able to step up the analysis from simply knowing where there are facilities to understanding how useful (and used) they are. If there are other such efforts underway, we'll be happy to hear about them! Most of the sidewalk inventories I'm aware of are maintained locally, and are frequently derived from remote sensing data (aerial/satellite imagery). That makes the data a bit hard to use for analysis (and probably also more than a little fuzzy since such images suffer a lot from occlusion and misclassification, plus it often comes in as polygon layers that are not clearly associated with other facilities). --- Jeremy Raw, P.E., Community Planner FHWA Office of Planning / Systems Planning and Analysis Team 202-366-0986 / Jeremy.raw@dot.gov<mailto:Jeremy.raw@dot.gov> From: h+t--friends-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:h+t--friends-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Ed Christopher Sent: Friday, September 16, 2016 5:28 PM To: TRB Health and Transportation Subject: Re: [H+T--Friends] Sidewalk registry I was just at the the Tools of the Trade conference in South Carolina and there was a presentation on tools that may be of relevance; 1) Sidewalk Scout: A crowdsourcing smartphone app used by agencies and the public to report sidewalk problems. 2) Sidewalk Sentry: A tablet application used to inventory sidewalks and assess sidewalk quality, and, 3) The Sidewalk Prioritization Index. It is abstract B7 (http://www.trbtoolsofthetrade.org/uploads/1/0/3/6/10361116/combined_abstrac…) and the authors are in your neck of the woods. I was not at the presentation but I believe Randy Guensler presented. Another place to look would be with the cities and possible the TMIP (travel model improvement program) list serve. If you are not on TMIP let me know and we can get you signed up so you can post. On 9/16/2016 2:32 PM, Whitfield, Geoffrey P. (CDC/ONDIEH/NCCDPHP) wrote: Hello all, We at CDC are interested in developing a national sidewalk registry with an accompanying application that assists cities/towns in creating sidewalk GIS layers. Is anyone aware of others working on a similar project? Thanks for any info. Feel free to reply directly to xdh5@cdc.gov<mailto:xdh5@cdc.gov> Geoffrey "Jeff" Whitfield, PhD MEd Epidemiologist Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Physical Activity and Health Branch Voice: 770-488-3976 _______________________________________________ H+T--Friends mailing list H+T--Friends@chrispy.net<mailto:H+T--Friends@chrispy.net> https://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/h+t--friends -- Ed Christopher Transportation Planning Consultant 708-269-5237