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
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--
Ed Christopher
Transportation Planning Consultant
708-269-5237