Walkability and green spaces

WALKABILITY AND GREEN SPACES Downtown Tucson

Julio Carrillo Baran Farahani Katharine Mitchell LAR622 – December 6, 2011

Study Area This area is 788.3 Acres and was chosen due to the fact that the new Modern streetcar route will be running through, and this part of Tucson is more compact than other parts, such as east Tucson.

PROBLEM DOWNTOWN

TUCSON VACANT &PARKING

LOTS

The study area also currently has a large number of vacant lots not currently being used. The negative impacts of these vacant parcels include: - an aesthetic eyesore - encourage crime in the vicinity or on the lot itself - the city is missing out on the potential to attract businesses - create low activity clusters

GOAL

DOWNTOWN TUCSON GREEN SPACE

The goal of this analysis was to identify parcels which will be converted to green spaces to encourage walkability in the study area

Encouraging walkability

GO

AL OBJECTIVES

1:Identify land suitable for open spaces/ parks

2:Identify walkable/ accessible areas suitable for open spaces

SUB-O

BJECTIVES

1.2: Identify parking parcels

1.3: Identify low slope under 5%

2.3: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “industrial” land use.

2.4: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “institutional” land use.

2.5: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “mixed-use” land use.

2.6: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “recreational” land use.

2.7: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “residential” land use.

2.8: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “retail” land use.

2.11: Closer to “modern street car route”.

2.9: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “services” land use.

2.12: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “bus stops”.

2.13: Closer to “bus routes”.

2.2: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “entertainment” land use

2.10: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “modern street car stops”.

Identify parcels which will be converted to green spaces to encourage walkability.

1.1: Identify vacant parcels 2.1: At least around 1/8 of a mile away from “commercial-office” land use.

SUITABILITY ANALYSIS

Our methods: • LUCIS : Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy • “Paired Method” (survey) Defining weights • Zonal statistics Averaging land suitability to

parcel suitability.

Objective 1 : Identify land suitable for open spaces /parks

- Sub-objective 1.1 : Identify vacant parcels.

Objective 1 : Identify land suitable for open spaces /parks – Sub-objective 1.3 : Identify

low slope areas (under 5% rise)

MUA = Objective 1

Objective 2 : Identify walkable/accessible areas suitable for open spaces /park Sub-objective 2.1: At least

around 1/8 of a mile away from “commercial – office” land use.

Objective 2 : Identify walkable/accessible areas suitable for open spaces /park Sub-objective 2.11: Closer to

“modern street car route”.

Objective 2 : Identify walkable/accessible areas suitable for open spaces /park Sub-objective 2.12: At least

around 1/8 of a mile away from “MSCar stops”.

Goal: Identify parcels which will be converted to green spaces to encourage walkability. Objective 2 : Identify walkable/accessible areas suitable for open

spaces /parks

Weighted Overlay from public input

Suitability analysis Baran Micah Julio Arthur Sally Katharine

Commercial_Office 15 15 8 5 5 5 8.8Entertainment 5 2 4 5 15 3 5.7Industrial 3 4 8 5 3 8 5.2Institutional 5 1 3 5 5 8 4.5Mixed Use 15 20 15 10 5 10 12.5Modern S Car (route) 2 9 10 7.5 5 5 6.4Modern S Car (stops) 10 9 6 7.5 5 10 7.9Bus routes 2 1 6 10 5 2 4.3Bus stops 5 3 5 10 5 2 5.0Recreational 8 10 2 10 25 2 9.5Residential 15 20 10 10 15 20 15.0Retail_Sales 10 3 8 5 7 20 8.8Services 5 3 15 10 0 5 6.3

100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Rate the importance (%) of having a green space at a walkable distance from_____, so all the values add 100.

MUA = Objective 2

FINAL SUITABILITY

MUA = Objective 1 + MUA = Objective 2

FINAL SUITABILITY 1. Applying Zonal Statistics • Identify average suitability

per parcel • Useful tool for city

planners to identify potential parcel conversion to green spaces

FINAL SUITABILITY 2. Identifying potential

network connections • Useful tool for designers

to evaluate creation of WALKABLE ROUTES

FINAL SUITABILITY 2. Identifying potential

network connections • Useful tool for designers

to evaluate creation of WALKABLE ROUTES

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES AND BENEFITS

Walkable networks provide: • Transportation efficiency. • Reduction of VMT. • Encourages daily physical

activities.

WALKABILITY AND GREEN SPACES Downtown Tucson

Julio Carrillo Baran Farahani Katharine Mitchell LAR622 – December 6, 2011

THANK YOU!…. Questions?