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Pedestrian and Bicycle SpecialDistricts Study
Houston-Galveston Area Council
Gulf Coast InstituteEuclid StudioLorin GaertnerTransight, LLCWalkable Communities, Inc.
in association with
Phase One Findings
Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference
September 9, 2004
Pedestrian and Bicycle SpecialDistricts Study
Houston-Galveston Area Council
Presented by:
John CiccarelliTransight, LLC(650) [email protected]
Dan Raine, AICPH-GAC Pedestrian/Bicycle [email protected]
Lorin GaertnerBicycle & Pedestrian Planning, Data Analysis & Mapping/[email protected]
Project Purpose
Establish basis for making strategic investments in bicycle and pedestrian districts in the 8-county region.
Pilot project in one selected district
Pedestrian/Bicycle DistrictsProject Objectives
Phase I• Develop tool for identifying pedestrian and
bicycle travel demand • Identify top candidate districts for strategic
investmentPhase II
• Pilot project: pedestrian-bicycle improvement plan for 1-2 districts
• Methodology to quantify benefits
PHASE 1
Approach to Phase One
• Long list of possible districts• Assemble data for each district• Ratings and weightings• Re-evaluate top contenders – redefine areas• Result: refined list of candidate districts
What is a District?Ideas: • Traffic Analysis Zone?• Neighborhood?• Management district?• Census division?Team consensus:• Something consistent across the region• Size appropriate for walking i.e. small and bicycling –
quite largeResult: Define districts as circles around a center
Centers Examined
ChurchesHospitalsSchoolsUniversitiesCollegesParksLandmarksInstitutionsEmployersMETRO stations(P&R, Bus stops)Transportation
terminals
Lessons from Circular Districts
FM RD 126
6
• Complete coverage requires overlap Spatial autocorrelationMapping more challengingAll data must be allocated
Lessons from Circular Districts
Increased level of detailCorresponds closely to actual walking and bicycling areasCenter may represent a focal point; easy to identify
FM RD 126
6
Indicators of Success
• Start with literature review• Two-pronged: potential trip conversion +
safety• Use existing data – no data collection• Available for all regions equally• Applied automatically (without subjectivity)
Indicators
• Population Density• Children• Elderly• Low Income
• Land Use Diversity• Employment Diversity• Balance of
Jobs & Housing
• Short Work Trips• Walk-to-Work Trips• Bike-to-Work Trips
• Student Enrollment• Trip Attractions
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes• Transit Access
Scoring
• Correlation and factor analysis helped reduce number and interpret indicators
• Values for all factors were aggregated together to produce each center’s score
• Weights assigned to indicators to reflect uniqueness, importance and reliability
• High-scoring districts exhibit a variety of strong indicators
Benavidez El. School, Gulfton, Indicator Scores
Indicator Median for all districts
Value for this district
Rank Contribution to Score
Population 471 6,653 4 27.2
Children 21% 20% 5,080 0.2
Elderly 8% 1% 8,747 -2.1
Low-income households 20% 41% 684 4.7
Lower education employment 46 247 496 3.7
Total trip attractions 6,107 37,521 286 3.8
Higher education enrollment 0 23 893 2.7
Land-use diversity 42% 68% 214 1.6
Employment diversity 60% 55% 5,953 -0.1
Balance of households and employment 81% 99%293
2.8
Existing bicycling 0 148 22 7.5
Existing walking 14 555 7 8.0
Short (work) trips 138 1,088 23 9.7
Transit access 0 27 1,012 3.1
Bicycle crashes 2 14 835 1.4
Pedestrian crashes 0 14 33 5.8
Total Score 1st Overall 79.8
Top Candidate Districts
• Gulfton• Sharpstown*• Montrose• Woodlake/
Briarmeadow*• Greater Third Ward• Near Northside• Downtown Houston• Galveston (two areas)
• University Place*• Pecan Park• Westwood• Magnolia Park• Binz*• Eastwood/Lawndale• Midtown Houston*
* Overlaps with higher scoring area
Harris County
Galveston County
Phase II: Pilot Project
• Selection of district(s)• I.D. local sponsor• Study existing conditions• Design / planning
workshops with public• Identify improvements• Develop projects, costs• Success measures• Calculate AQ benefits
Phase II: Potential Improvements
Low Capital Investments:
• Sidewalks• Crosswalks• Median Refuge Islands• ADA Compliant Ramps• Pedestrian Signal Heads• Intersection Improvements
Phase II: Building Partnerships
• City of Houston: Primary ClientSupports initiative, selects district for study No short-term financial commitment
• Greater Southeast Management District:Primary purpose is economic developmentAbility to receive federal funding Possess significant local funding resources
• Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #7:OST/Almeda TIRZ assembles stakeholders, officials Potential funding source boundary outside of district
• Third Ward Redevelopment Council
