In the Spring of 2002, Partners for Active Living piloted an innovative community-bas ed assessment tool, a Walking and Bicycling Suitability Assessment (WABSA), in the city of Spartanburg. Developed by researchers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, this tool allowed Partners for Active Living and community volunteers to assess various design characteristics that impact the suitability of our roads and sidewalks for bicycling and walking. The data has been mapped and is being used to help local planners, architects, engineers and politicians make decisions about facility improvements. The WABSA tool is also being applied to Safe Routes to School programs to Palmetto Conservation Foundation’s Hub City Connector, a 12.5-mile stretch of active living infrastructure that will include handicapped-accessible trail, a rails-to-trails conversion, bicycle lanes and shared use paths directly through downtown Spartanburg. The data will be used to help guide enhancement planning.
For copies of the WABSA forms, visit James Emery WABSA site.
Click here for a chronological summary of key events related to WABSA.
Click here for a media summary related to WABSA.
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