Connecting Communities: Comparison of sidewalk characteristics and connectivity in existing Tucson neighborhoods

Abstract

Sidewalk fragmentation in Tucson is the result of City Code Ordinance 25-12 that places the responsibility of sidewalk installation and maintenance on property owner. However, with an average household income 27% below the national average and 25% of Tucson residents living below poverty level sidewalk fragmentation has become a pedestrian safety concern. By using Google Earth to measure the percentage of paved, unpaved and not present sidewalks in four historic communities in central Tucson; this study found a directly proportional relationship between the length of time the neighborhood has been listed as a historic community and the percentage of paved sidewalks within the neighborhood.