Curriculum Design

#1 Case Study and Peer Exchange

Purpose

• The purpose of this assignment is to help you:

• Understand transportation as a social determinant of health and health equity

• Use critical thinking skills to evaluate transportation projects

• Identify health equity implications in the context of urban and regional development

• Value the process of learning from each other through peer exchange

Instructions and Resources

For this assignment, you will analyze a case example of a transportation project or policy that could improve health and health equity, such as pedestrian trails, bicycle lanes, speed reduction policies, public transportation infrastructure/service expansion, etc.

1. Select a transportation project or policy to analyze and write a case description

The project should be located in your community and region and should have some health and equity implications that are either implicit or explicit, positive or negative. Examples on writing transportation case studies are available here:

• Transport Case Studies library https://www.centreforcities.org/case-study-library/case-studies-improving-transport/; https://www.centreforcities.org/case-studies/

• Public Health and Transportation Case Studies https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/transportation/public-health-and-transportation-case-studies

• Complete Streets Case Studies https://smartgrowthamerica.org/tag/complete-streets-case-studies/

• Sustainable Transportation CASE STUDIES https://www.tigurl.org/images/tiged/docs/activities/953.pdf

2. Write a case description

Describe the project including the following:

• Background – Describe the project, including a description of the location, who initiated the project, development process, project timeline and costs, transportation modes involved, populations served, and other relevant information.

• Vision and Goals – Describe the broader goals of the project, then describe its health-related and health equity goals.

• Outcomes – Discuss the health equity outcomes of the project, such as emission reduction, access to public space, access to healthy environments, safety, physical activity, etc. Comment on what outcomes were explicitly measured and evaluated.

• Summary – Summarize the project in a few sentences.

• Analysis – What are the health-related benefits and risk of this project? Who do you think benefits most from this project and who would be negatively affected?

• Implications – What are the implications for equity and fairness, considering who may be included or excluded in the development process (historic or contemporary), or in access and use of the transportation infrastructure or service. Were some communities excluded and to what extent? What communities were most included and how?

• Interventions – Identify if there are current or planned interventions to mitigate identified inequities (plans, projects, policies, etc.). Assess how well these interventions are addressing or will address equity.

• Suggestions - provide a list of 3-5 suggestions to advance transportation equity in the community or project area.

3. Present the findings in class

Finally, each person will present the two cases analyzed in class: (1) the case that the student originally authored and (2) the case example from their peer. The presentations can be formal or informal, with or without slides, shared with the entire class or in small groups, at the discretion of the instructor.

Final Products

• Original case description

• Presentation

Instructor Notes

• Let students send their case study ideas and make a list of all the case titles before students start preparing the initial case study.

• Students may encounter issues integrating the two cases, especially when the two cases involve completely different travel modes, policies, or types of service. You may ask students to emphasize the equity aspects when preparing the presentation.

• The assignment can be completed as individual work or as a group project.

• Students could work in pairs to integrate two cases and develop a 5-minute presentation that includes key highlights from both cases. They could discuss the similar or different equity implications of the two cases.

#2 Neighborhood Mapping and Walking Audit

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to help you:

• Understand the concept of walkability and its impacts on active travel

• Learn neighborhood mapping and walking audit skills

• Identify barriers to walking, cycling and transit use for different populations in the community

• Critically evaluate the built environment throughout the observation process

• Understand the relationship between opportunities for active travel and health equity

Instructions and Resources

This assignment asks students to map neighborhood assets, amenities, land uses, and populations in a neighborhood with underserved populations (e.g., low income and minority, persons with disabilities, older adults, etc.). Next, it asks students to conduct a walking audit of a street in the neighborhood.

1. Form groups and create a neighborhood map

Form groups of 2~3 students.

Prepare a neighborhood map that includes information about its populations, amenities, and street network. The neighborhood mapping can be produced in any format, such as a hand drawing of a cognitive map or tracing from Google Earth imagery. One can use geographical information systems, PowerPoint or Photoshop. It is best if the area is relatively close so you can do field work, but you can also collect information virtually. Do background research and collect census data for supporting demographic information on the neighborhood residents.

The purpose of the map is to have a better understanding of the travel patterns in the neighborhood, network connectivity issues, and the related equity issues for those who live in the neighborhood and are using the street network.

The map should provide information about:

• The neighborhood boundaries (perceived or objective)

• The locations of houses, parks, stores, bus stops, schools, churches, offices, etc. in the neighborhood

• Important neighborhood features, amenities, or assets

• The street network and selected physical features of the streets, such as sidewalks, lanes, intersections, crossings, signals, bus shelters, bike racks, street furniture, signage, trash cans, trees, curb ramps, pavement markings, etc. (NOTE: Some of these details may be documented as part of the walking audit and need not be documented for the entire street network. Others, such as sidewalks and bike lanes, may be identified on the larger network for an understanding of accessibility and connectivity of the overall pedestrian and bicycle network.)

2. Select a street for the walk audit and prepare a walk audit worksheet

Select a street in the neighborhood for a walk audit.

Prepare a brief worksheet for the walking audit (about 2 pages of content). Tips:

• Refer to the links provided in this assignment, as well as other online resources, to get familiar with what should be included in the worksheet.

• Skim through the items in the example worksheets, and brainstorm ideas with your group members.

• Try to make the worksheet consistent with the existing characteristics of the selected neighborhood street. If the features (e.g., bike racks, bus shelters, landing pads, etc.) in the worksheet examples are not found on your street, take notes about them because they might be necessary features to make the street more accessible and equitable.

Check out these resources for worksheet examples:

• AARP Walk Audit Tool Kit https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2014/aarp-walk-audit-tool-kit.html

• AARP Walk Audit Tool Kit Leader Guide https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/livable-documents/documents-2016/Walk-Audit-Tool-Kit/AARP-Walk-Audit-Leader-Guide-100416.pdf

• Walkability Checklist https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/walkingchecklist.pdf

• Aspen Hill Vision Zero Study Walk Audit Checklist: https://montgomeryplanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/AHVZ-walk-audit-checklist-web-english.pdf

• Toolkit for the Assessment of Bus Stop Accessibility and Safety: https://www.nadtc.org/wp-content/uploads/NADTC-Toolkit-for-the-Assessment-of-Bus-Stop-Accessibility.pdf

3. Conduct the walk audit

When preparing for the walk audit field work, be sure to:

• Bring your worksheet, neighborhood map, and a pen to take notes,

• Wear appropriate shoes and clothing for walking,

• Plan to complete the exercise during the day, so that there is enough time to complete the walking audits while the streetscape is most visible.

During your walk audits, be sure to:

• Always be aware of your surroundings and considerate of the people and places you are observing.

• Collaborate with your partners, remember to take notes, and put information in the worksheet. You should also take pictures, and may choose to do video and sound recordings, etc.

• Always observe the street environment with critical eyes and think about how equity is shaped by the use and design of space.

• Use more than your eyes to sense the space. Also, try to smell, hear, and feel the street environment. How comfortable are you walking along certain streets? Do you feel safe?

4. Write a walk audit report

Synthesize the information from the worksheet and the notes taken during the walk audit in a report that addresses the following questions:

• What is unique about the street selected for the walking audit?

• Who are the users of the street – what are their genders, ages, races, and physical abilities?

• How do they use the street? Are there any barriers to them using the street?

• What travel modes are accommodated on the street and which travel mode(s) are most prominent?

• What kind of inequities are created or exacerbated through the use and design of the street?

• What street features do you think are missing? And how would these missing features remove barriers for certain street users and improve equity?

5. Synthesize the information into a poster

Format the neighborhood map, street layout, and report as a poster. The poster should also include a box that highlights the equity implications learned from this exercise.

Final Product

The final product is a poster including three elements: neighborhood mapping and street network layout, a walking audit worksheet, and a report. The poster will be exhibited in the class.

Instructor Notes

• This assignment intends to let groups of students choose their own sites for walking audits. Based on class size and local context, the instructor can also prepare 4~5 streets for students who cannot decide which street to choose.

• The assignment can be completed as individual work or as a group project.

• The assignment can have different emphases when assigned to different modules. For example, if assigned to transportation and public health modules, the instructor can ask students to pay more attention to pedestrian safety; if assigned to evaluating travel patterns and behaviors, students can focus more on the travel behavior of street users.

#3 Community Engagement Activity

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to help you:

• Understand the public participation process

• Critically analyze public participation techniques

• Gain experience in community engagement

Instructions and Resources

Each person will attend a public engagement event and reflect on their observations and experiences.

1. Examine or prepare list of public engagement events related to transportation planning and investment decisions.

2. Select an event in which to participate/observe. Attend the event.

3. Take detailed notes at the event.

4. Write a reflective essay.

The final product is a 3~4-page reflection on the community engagement experience, including critical thinking on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Include citations from the class readings. The essay should address the following questions:

• Description: Where is the project (or policy issue) located? When was the project (or policy issue) initiated? At what stage of the project (or policy issue) did this community engagement event take place? How does the event fit into the broader context of the project (or policy issue)?

• Interest groups: Who are the decision makers and who are the organizers? Who are the participants? Who is represented in the event and how? Who is not represented?

• Engagement techniques: What kind of public engagement technique(s) were used in this event? How was the public engaged prior to the event?

• Issues discussed: What were the participants’ desires of or for the transportation system? What visions of the community did participants express? Do different participants have different needs and visions and how are they different? Were underrepresented populations among the participants and were their needs discussed?

• Reflection: Do you think the public engagement event was inclusive and effective? What do you think can be done to improve it? How do you feel about the engagement process overall?

Final Product

• Essay

• Notes from the event

Instructor Notes

• The class may refer to local government websites to find opportunities for public engagement events.

• Students are welcome to pick an event within the scope of a community engagement that interests them.

• The assignment could be designed to support a service-learning course in which students volunteer and participate in a community engagement process.

• The final product can also be in the format of a research paper, which helps students to familiarize themselves with community-engaged research.

#4 Urban Planning Cooperative Game

Purpose

• Get familiar with the transportation planning process from a classroom setting,

• Understand the needs and concerns of different interest groups,

• Learn negotiation and conflict resolution skills to achieve the best outcomes for economic development, health, and social equity in the planning process.

Instructions and Resources

This exercise asks students to play a cooperative game of urban transportation planning. The goal is to prepare a strategic plan for a bus rapid transit project. Students will be sorted into multiple stakeholder groups.

Setting: SimCity is a metropolitan area of 550,000 inhabitants. The city plans to build a bus rapid transit (BRT) line to promote sustainable transportation and increase active travel.

1. Form groups and select a stakeholder group

Form five groups and identify 2~3 students as group leaders. The roles of the stakeholder groups are described below.

• Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): A MPO is the policy board created by federal law to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process. MPOs oversee the region’s transportation planning, facilitating collaboration between governments, interested parties, and residents in the planning process.

• State Department of Transportation (DOT): State DOTs allocate resources from various Federal-aid programs. They also develop scoring systems to evaluate projects across all travel modes and determine the funding priority.

• Transit provider: Provide public transportation services to local communities. Transit providers set annual targets, use technology to provide reliable route scheduling, reduce carbon footprint, and promote community growth.

• Environmental organization: A non-profit organization that helps to protect the environment. Environmental organizations develop strategies to realize more sustainable development, social equity, and environmental justice.

• The traveling public: Users of the transportation system, including people of all ages, races, genders, and abilities. They contribute opinions on their transportation needs through multiple kinds of public participatory activities.

2. Explore within-group stakeholder interests

Each stakeholder group makes a list of visions and goals for the BRT project and identifies the project’s impact on the transportation system, economy, health, and equity. To accomplish this step, it is recommended that each student prepare a list of items and work in groups to compile a final list.

3. Reorganize the groups to explore stakeholder interests across groups

Reorganize the groups so that each new group includes at least one member from each interest group. Within each group, and going round robin, each stakeholder representative will share their lists of goals. Together, the group will identify and discuss their similar and conflicting interests.

4. Original stakeholder interest groups submit a plan preparation memo

Based on the roles and interests, as well as insight from the broader set of interest groups, each stakeholder group prepares a plan preparation memo to submit as part of the BRT planning process. The memo should propose a vision for the BRT, at least one goal, and at least one specific strategy to achieve each stated goal.

5. Whole class discussion

In this final step, the whole class prepares a BRT strategic plan that integrates values and inputs from different stakeholder groups by prioritizing them. The group must decide how many goals and strategies to include, what inclusion criteria to use, and how they should be prioritized.

Final Product

• Each stakeholder group submits a proposal for the BRT plan, which includes visions, goals, and strategies to improve the transportation system, increase active travel, and promote economic growth, health, and equity.

• A BRT strategic plan with considerations from all the stakeholder groups.

• Each student writes a 1-page short reflection of the conflicts encountered in the process of developing the strategic plan and a description of opportunities to resolve conflicts.

Instructor Notes

• Instructors can develop activities other than a BRT plan, depending on the local transportation projects available, and invite project teams to the class to share their experiences.

• This activity requires students to clearly understand the role and interests of different interest groups. Instructors can provide examples for students to understand the role of each stakeholder group.

• Instructors can provide detailed metropolitan context and may prepare maps if necessary. This article gives an example of the process of a BRT strategic plan: Wong and Fisher (2010). Developing a Bus Rapid Transit Strategic Plan for San Jose and Silicon Valley, California. Transportation Research Record, 2145-04, pp.30-39. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3141/2145-04