Accessibility for All Ages and Abilities: Opportunities for Austin Billy Fields Assistant Professor Political Science

Presentation Overview All Ages/All Abilities: paradigm change Complete streets: tool for culture change Building a network for Austin: preliminary thoughts

All Ages/All Abilities: Paradigm Change Transportation access for people of all ages and abilities vital for healthy communities Current system focused on automobiles for mobility Problem: 30% of overall pop. can not or chooses not to drive (Millar and Sundquist 2012) Need to move from providing for mobility to accessibility Change involves thinking more broadly about transportation options and land use

All Ages/All Abilities: Paradigm Change Movement for change: complete streets Complete streets designed to provide “safe access to destinations for everyone, regardless of age, ability, income, ethnicity or how they travel” (Seskin and Gordon-Koven, 2013, p. 1) Movement growing Complete Streets Policy Adoption in the U.S. U.S. Level of Government Number of Complete Streets Policies City412 County39 Metropolitan Planning Organization45 State29 Federal0 Total525 Source: Snyder (2013)

All Ages/All Abilities: Paradigm Change What would complete streets network look like? System would: Provide a network of sidewalks for local trips Create safe crossings to connect sidewalks Provide access to transit for longer trips Create a high-comfort network of bicycle facilities Example: half of all trips for Dutch and German citizens over 75 by bicycle (Pucher and Dijkstra 2003)

Complete Streets: Tool for Culture Change Despite progress, complete streets contested In studies of Minneapolis and Louisiana common theme: culture change process at DOT/DPW crucial Respondent Descriptions of LA DOTD Culture

Complete Streets: Tool for Culture Change Research findings: overcoming bureaucratic inertia requires coalition building and engagement Matches Innovative DOT findings. Requires: 1. Collaborative culture within the organization 2. Diverse stakeholders in process 3. Breaking down silos 4. Focus on where decisions are made within the organization 5. Focus on opportunities for reform Millar and Sundquist (2012)

Austin: All Ages Network Framework?

Basic All Ages/Abilities Network Components Bicycling network: 1.Off-road network of trails and greenways 2.Neighborhood greenways (bike boulevards) and cycle tracks Walking network: Sidewalk network Improved crossings Access to transit options

Preliminary Thoughts on All Ages/Abilities Network for Austin Despite 45.8 miles of greenbelts, Austin lacks a connected “transportation” greenway network Opportunities for neighborhood greenways and cycle tracks could create connections Lack of sidewalks in Austin significant problem Example: walking with my 4 year old on streets without sidewalks Coalition building across sectors vital: public health, age-friendly communities, planners, cyclists and others

Thank You! Billy Fields Assistant Professor Political Science