V. Accessibility and Mode Choice
Accessibility of South County neighborhoods and destinations for walking, cycling, and transit modes was evaluated in the study area using indices of accessibility relative to conditions within the region and in-depth inventories of selected areas. The complete accessibility analysis and inventories for Apollo Beach, Gibsonton, Sun City Center, and Riverview can be found in Technical Memorandum 3: Travel Patterns and Conditions. The indices represent both accessibility and potential, which are defined as follows: Accessibility accounts for the availability of existing infrastructure to support these transportation modes and is addressed by incorporating factors such as sidewalk length, bicycle lane length, roadway network density, travel times, and barriers (e.g., major high-speed roadways, water, etc.) Potential is a function of both the relative population in an area and the number of services that can be reached within a reasonable distance using the identified transportation mode.
Barriers to walking and cycling were widespread and included water coverage, major roadways, railroads, gaps in the pedestrian and bicycle network, and deficiencies in existing sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks. Poor access to nearby sidewalks, long walking distances to bus stops, long travel times when using transit, and limited amenities at transit stops (e.g., lack of bus shelters, paved landings, or seating) were
Barriers to walking and cycling were widespread. Poor access to nearby sidewalks, long walking distances to bus stops, long travel times when using transit, and limited amenities at transit stops were common conditions.
common conditions in the study area. These conditions adversely impact a transit user ’ s experience, limit accessibility for persons with disabilities, and discourage transit use by individuals who have the option to travel by car. Many areas of South County exhibited a sparse, circuitous and/or disconnected local street network, and lack adequate infrastructure to support walking and biking. Figure 15 presents walking accessibility potential in the study area. Neighborhoods such as Fishhawk, Riverview, and Sun City Center show a higher potential for walking, cycling, and transit use than other areas of South County. The older neighborhoods of Gibsonton, Ruskin, and Wimauma are more represented in the moderate category. Balm is most represented in the low category, as is much of the study area beyond the areas of activity. Most of the study area has only low to moderate walking potential.
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