Conducting Neighborhood Mobility Audits

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How to use Census data to define a traditionally underserved neighborhood (environmental justice area)
• Which factors enhance and impede resident mobility and transportation improvements
• How to engage community residents in prioritizing and funding mobility improvements

MORE SESSION DETAILS

Metropolitan planning organizations must ensure that all of their residents have adequate mobility. Under Title VI and environmental-justice requirements, all residents should have an equitable share of transportation benefits. How does this play out in low-income neighborhoods, where residents are up to three times more likely to use transit or walk or bike to their destination? “Neighborhood mobility audits” evaluate the mobility of traditionally underserved residents with an emphasis on transit and non-motorized transportation. This session will combine real-world examples with audience participation to highlight strategies to evaluate resident mobility and identify and fund mobility improvements. It will also address the factors that enhance and impede neighborhood mobility. The Polk County (Florida) Transportation Planning Organization, in partnership with AECOM, developed a methodology and process for neighborhood mobility audits; this new planning practice has allowed the Polk County to take a proactive approach to ensuring that its most vulnerable residents have access to jobs and essential services. To date, the Polk County Transportation Planning Organization has completed 15 mobility audits, with 13 being conducted in the TPO’s Environmental Justice Planning Areas. As a result, more than $10 million has been included in the Florida Department of Transportation’s Work Program for mobility improvements in these neighborhoods.