Measuring the unmeasurable: a quantitative approach to accessibility

Abstract

Accessibility has been a topic of research and conversation since the late 1950s. However, the ability to accurately measure accessibility rather than simply define it is becoming reality due to new software tools. This research will measure transportation accessibility with the help of the ArcGIS add-in, Sugar Access. Auto, transit, bike, and pedestrian networks’ accessibility will be quantitatively measured and evaluated. In addition to the study of current transportation networks, new bike and pedestrian networks were developed to add a level of comfort factor to the overall accessibility score. A level of comfort analysis in pedestrian and bike scenarios helps to create more realistic measures of accessibility.