A new tool uses aerial image recognition to map a city’s sidewalks and crosswalks. Its developers hope it will aid in creating a more comprehensive understanding of pedestrian networks and where improvements are needed.
For many Americans, walking is an essential part of their daily trips to transit stops, schools, jobs, and other destinations. But as Peter Disikes explains for the MIT News Office, “Most cities and towns in the U.S. do not have sidewalk maps, and pedestrians are usually left to fend for themselves.”
Thanks to an effort led by researchers from MIT and other universities, “an open-source tool that uses aerial imagery and image-recognition to create complete maps of sidewalks and crosswalks” is now helping to bridge the information gap and provide planners and policymakers with a way to accurately assess the state of their city’s sidewalk network. “The tool, called TILE2NET, has been developed using a few U.S. areas as initial sources of data, but it can be refined and adapted for use anywhere.”
While many cities have incomplete sidewalk systems, advocating for expanding them is difficult without access to hard data. “The whole world of urban data for public transit and pedestrians and bicycles is really far behind [vehicle data] in quality. Analyzing how cities can be operational without a car requires this kind of data,” says Andres Sevtsuk, associate professor at MIT.
FULL STORY: Where the sidewalk ends
Houston Considering a ‘Sidewalk-In-Lieu-Fee’ for Residential Projects
Developers and homeowners might be able to opt-out of the Houston’s sidewalk ordinance under legislation under consideration by the Houston City Council this week.
Why Accessible Sidewalks Fall by the Wayside
Despite the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act more than 30 years ago, most U.S. cities delay making accessibility improvements to sidewalks until activists bring them to court.
Kansas City Pedestrian Deaths Surpassing Last Year’s Rates
The city has taken some steps to address gaps in pedestrian infrastructure, but fatalities are growing as the most disadvantaged communities continue to lack safe walking conditions.
The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.
Cool Walkability Planning
Shadeways (covered sidewalks) and pedways (enclosed, climate controlled walkways) can provide comfortable walkability in hot climates. The Cool Walkshed Index can help plan these facilities.
Congestion Pricing Could Be Coming to L.A.
The infamously car-centric city is weighing a proposed congestion pricing pilot program to reduce traffic and encourage public transit use.
Report: Austin’s State Roads Deadlier Than City Roads
Traffic fatalities and serious injuries grew on state-owned roads in the Texas capital, even as city-owned streets saw death rates plateau.
Who Benefits Most from Land Conservation Efforts?
A new study estimates that recent land conservation generated $9.8 billion in wealth nationally through the housing market and that wealthier and White households benefited disproportionately.
Richmond Repeals Parking Minimums, Encourages Off-Street Parking and Transit
The Virginia city is replete with underused off-street parking lots, which city councilors hope to make available for parking at more times while encouraging transit use.
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
City of Orange
City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
