Healthy and Complete Communities in Delaware: The Walkability Assessment Tool

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2016-01
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The Walkability Assessment Tool is designed to guide municipalities in evaluating the walkability of specific areas within their towns and cities and considering strategies and policies to improve local pedestrian networks. This assessment tool serves as an updated version to IPA’s original tool, developed and published in 2010. The updated tool emphasizes the policy framework that supports walkability, provides hyperlinks to online resources, and prepares participants to engage in an interactive assessment process from pre- to post-walk activities. A video tutorial, which supplements this publication, has been produced to help participants be aware of what to look for during the in-field walkability audit. Preparation of this updated assessment tool builds upon the University of Delaware IPA’s Healthy Communities initiative, supported by the Delaware Division of Public Health (DDPS), and the Planning for Complete Communities in Delaware project, which is an ongoing collaboration between the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and IPA. IPA is especially appreciative of the continued support from DelDOT staff, especially former Assistant Planning Director Ralph Reeb. Julia O’Hanlon and Marcia Scott served as Principal Investigators/Project Managers for this project, and co-authored the document with Public Administration Fellow Alexis West. In addition to IPA’s online Delaware Complete Communities Planning Toolbox, this assessment tool will also be included as a component of IPA’s online Toolkit for a Healthy Delaware. The benefits of physical activity continue to gain national attention. The U.S. Surgeon General’s recent call to action emphasizes the need to improve access to safe and convenient places to walk and wheelchair roll. It also recognizes the importance of community design, planning, and public policy to facilitate improved built environments for more active lifestyles. Providing opportunities for all citizens to safely and easily traverse the pedestrian network to destinations of daily living is one significant way to promote physical activity and active transportation. I hope that Delaware local government officials and other stakeholders will use this assessment tool to build healthier, walkable, and complete communities.
Description
The Walkability Assessment Tool is designed to guide municipalities in evaluating the walkability of specific areas within their towns and cities and considering strategies and policies to improve local pedestrian networks.
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