Increasing access to physical activity through policy and built environment changes

INTRODUCTION The urban built environment presents obstacles to physical activity and can contribute to sedentary lifestyles. Parks in particular can be a cost-free venue for persons of diverse ages, abilities, and backgrounds to be physically active. Access to these venues can be limited by deteriorating infrastructure, traffic on roads and sidewalks around parks, and infrastructure design that prohibits multi-modal use.

METHODS Make Way for Play is a planning project led by the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Chicago Park District, and the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC). Ten community-based organizations were selected and trained to assess barriers to park access at the community level using CLOCC's Neighborhood Walkability Assessment Tool (NWAT). Thirty miles of streets have been assessed and data are being shared with city leaders as they develop design and policy solutions to support walking and biking to parks.

RESULTS The following will be presented: a description of the walkability assessment tool and process, baseline walkability assessment data, actions community-based organizations are taking locally to improve walkability in their communities and the role walkability data plays in the city's policy and design guidelines development process.

DISCUSSION Chicago's walkability assessment methodology and approach can serve as a national model for multi-level, community-engaged planning to improve the built environment and increase opportunities for safe physical activity. While this approach is focused on access to parks in Chicago, it can be used for safe-routes-to-schools approaches and other efforts to increase active transportation in communities.