Anne Arundel County: Transportation Mobility and Accessibility

Final project for URSP688L: Planning Technologies (Fall 2016). University of Maryland, College Park.This report examines where jobs and workforce participants are located in Anne Arundel County, and what transit options connect them. Special attention is paid to low-income workforce participants and low-income job sites. The goal is to determine if there is a spatial mismatch between where workforce participants live and where jobs are located in Anne Arundel County, and to assess whether or not transit options address that mismatch. To this end, we have produced maps that identify transit coverage, major clusters of low-income workers’ residences and job locations, and transit captivity, which is a measure of households that have no private transportation option and are reliant on public transportation. What we found was that transit within the county is connected to most residential neighborhoods and employment centers, though it doesn’t comprehensively serve each neighborhood or employment area it touches. Some residential communities, such as Cape St. Claire and job centers including a cluster around the I-97/Crain Highway intersection, completely lack transit services. The report also identifies communities that may contain transit dependent individuals. Based on our findings, we recommend further study of transit dependent populations and feasibility studies to expand transit services to underserved areas. The findings come with caveats; we did not have origin-destination data, so analysis of transit patterns cannot pinpoint actual behaviors. Also, the employment data used excluded federal employees, meaning Ft. Meade, an area of signficiant employment in the county, was not included in the dataset.Anne Arundel County & Annapoli

Healthy Annapolis

Final project for Urban Studies and Planning Studio (Summer 2017). University of Maryland, College Park.Annapolis, Maryland, located in Anne Arundel County, is home to the United States Naval Academy and Saint John’s College. The small waterfront capital city is also a popular tourist destination for sailors and history buffs drawn to the nationally recognized historic district. While continuing to focus on preserving the City’s historic and natural resources and strong local economy, Annapolis is taking steps to become a healthier city by participating in the Let’s Move! Cities Towns, and Counties (LMCTC) initiative, a national campaign to end childhood obesity by providing guidance to elected officials, parents, schools, community leaders, and other stakeholders in order to make healthy living accessible for everyone. Annapolis has successfully met the five initial program goals for LMCTC, and has achieved All-Star status. This report will help the City pursue three of the four All-Star strategies it is now eligible to pursue after achieving All-Star status. This report highlights disadvantaged communities, as they are more likely to suffer from poor health. In addition to an increased likelihood of health issues, these communities are also less likely to have resources such as education and community support to improve certain aspects of their health. This University of Maryland PALS summer studio project is meant to help guide the City of Annapolis in creating a healthier city for all residents, and in reaching their LMCTC All-Star strategies. Four chapters were written by groups that focused on health-related aspects of the city that relate directly to areas of focus for achieving All-Star status: 1) updates to incorporate health into the Comprehensive Plan, 2) parks and open space, 3) bicycle infrastructure, and 4) urban agriculture and community gardens. We hope that by providing recommendations for integrating health into the planning process and city design, and by suggesting strategies to make the most effective use of existing tools, Annapolis will be better situated to achieve its LMCTC All-Star strategies.The City of Annapoli