Traversing Tucson: Providing Equitable Access to National Parks Through Public Transportation

Abstract

National Parks in the United States of America were originally preserved to protect the integrity of the wilderness area and encourage public recreational access for all. However, access to these lands is inequitable. The dominant reason why access to National Parks is inequitable is the requirement of a private vehicle to access this land. Unlike many cities, the City of Tucson is within close proximity to many National Parks. However, the City of Tucson is home to many low-income and minority populations that do not have access to reliable private vehicles to get to the local National Parks. To assess the need and wants of the Tucson population regarding National Parks access, 74 Tucson residents were surveyed about their perspectives on National Parks access. The survey responses found that the majority of those surveyed feel that their access to National Parks would be enhanced by the provision of public transportation and would be willing to use private transportation over their vehicles to access the local National Parks. This study exemplifies a major need for public transit that allows for more equitable access to Tucson’s National Parks and recommends future pilot projects to provide Tucson residents with their desired level of access to their local National Parks.