OpenSidewalks: Advancing Pedestrian Data Collection and Interoperability, through an Open Data Collaborative and Accessibility-first Principles -- Presented by University of Washington, Transportation Data Equity Initiative (TDEI)

OpenSidewalks is an innovative project aimed at improving pedestrian accessibility and inclusivity in urban environments. The project focuses on leveraging open data and community collaboration to create comprehensive sidewalk maps and accessibility information. By combining computational models, crowdsourced data, geographic information systems (GIS) technology, and user feedback, OpenSidewalks aims to provide valuable insights into pedestrian infrastructure, making cities more accessible for all pedestrians, and providing invaluable information for urban and transportation planners.

The project's primary goal is to develop a user-friendly data schema, platform and tooling that allow all users, whether municipalities, transportation agencies or crowds, to contribute sidewalk data, such as sidewalk widths, curb cuts, obstructions, and other relevant information. This data is then processed and integrated into publicly accessible data that can be consumed in many different ways, including pedestrian routing applications and urban planning decision-making tools. The project also emphasizes the importance of user engagement and feedback to continuously update and improve the sidewalk data.

OpenSidewalks recognizes the significance of collaborative efforts and partnerships. It actively encourages community involvement, including input from advocacy groups, local residents, and municipal organizations, to ensure that the collected data accurately reflects the ground realities and the needs of diverse communities. Through its comprehensive sidewalk maps and accessibility information, OpenSidewalks strives to enhance urban planning, support policy decisions, and promote the creation of inclusive, pedestrian-friendly environments. By empowering individuals to contribute and access valuable sidewalk data, the project aims to foster equitable and accessible communities for all.

Date: Wednesday, February 7th, 2024

Time: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm ET

Presenters: Kate Hartman, ITS JPO/FHWA; Dr. Anat Caspi, Taskar Center for Accessible Technology, University of Washington

Program Background

The ITS4US Deployment Program, led by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), expands access to transportation for all travelers with a specific focus on underserved communities, including people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, individuals of low income, people in rural communities and those with limited English proficiency. This program embodies the Administration’s priorities of transportation equity, economic growth, sustainability, and most importantly, compassion and inclusivity. The program funds multiple large-scale replicable deployments in three phases:

- Phase 1: concept development
- Phase 2: design and testing
- Phase 3: operations and evaluation.

In June 2022, the deployment sites completed the concept development phase of each of their projects. The USDOT awarded four teams with Phase 2 funding to support the design and testing of their projects based on their Phase 1 concepts. The four deployment sites are:

Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)
Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA)
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA)/Buffalo
University of Washington (UW)

For more details on the ITS4US Deployment program, see the program’s website at: https://its.dot.gov/its4us/.

Webinar Series Information

ITS JPO is hosting a series of free, public webinars to allow each of the four Phase 2 deployment sites to publicly share topics and experiences that would be of interest to deployers considering innovative technology solutions to solve mobility challenges of underserved communities. These webinars will be an opportunity for each site to discuss their experiences during the Design/Build Test/Phase and engage the broader ITS4US Deployment Program Community about their efforts so far in Phase 2. At the end of the presentation, there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask the site questions about their project. Future deployers can benefit from lessons learned and experiences from the ITS4US deployment teams.

Accommodations

Live closed captioning will be provided during this webinar. Please note that the deadline to request additional accessibility accommodations for this webinar is January 31, 2024.

ITS4US Phase 2 Webinar: UW - Transportation Data Equity Initiative