Project

Measuring accessibility in Appalachia

Despite the construction of a dedicated network of highways known as the Appalachian Development Highway System, many remote communities in the Appalachian region are forced to contend with the disadvantages of limited access to basic goods and services. To ascertain the locations of the largest gaps, we developed a comprehensive set of methods that allows us to measure the relative accessibility of specific services and opportunities (e.g., schools, jobs, medical facilities) for residents with and without a vehicle. Our client, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), aims to integrate the methods in a data-analysis and mapping tool.

Our services

  • Review of the available literature on community needs and accessibility deficits
  • Presentation of approaches and methods
  • Testing of various data sources, including as-yet untested sources
  • Development of a coherent set of methods with indicators and measurement techniques
  • Map-based representation of individual approaches
  • Development of a proposal for integration in a data-analysis and mapping tool
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Securing access to promote equal opportunity

Picture Credits: ARC

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