Methods for Investigating and Advancing Active Transportation in NH

According to the New Hampshire Sustainable Communities Initiative (NH SCI), both access to and use of active transportation opportunities are central to the construction of sustainable communities in the state of New Hampshire (NH). NH’s rural character presents unique challenges to bikeability that have not been addressed by previous, urban-centric studies. To identify barriers preventing access to and use of active transportation corridors, Plymouth State University is partnering with NH’s Department of Transportation and regional planning commissions to better understand barriers to bicycling in the state of NH. Surveys of NH residents in two unique case study communities incorporate a participatory GIS mapping (PPGIS) platform to capture key community origins and destinations and perceived barriers to bicycling. Survey results are used to validate and inform infrastructure-specific Level of Traffic Stress roads models and community connectivity assessments. These assessments are additionally compared against a two-year Strava Metro dataset of app-generated, GPS-based bicycling routes. The results of this research will provide planners, government officials, citizens, and advocacy groups with recommendations regarding the most effective processes for crafting and implementing active transportation improvements throughout their communities