Evaluating Transportation Equity Data Dashboards
Research Team: Jesus Barajas (lead) and Claire McGinnis
UC Campus(es): UC Davis
Problem Statement: The historical impacts of transportation planning and investment have left lasting scars on communities of color and low-income communities in California. State departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and local and county governments have recognized the value of equitable planning and programming but are also aware of the limitations in implementing and evaluating equity due to, among other reasons, a lack of appropriate tools or data. While there are a variety of data, tools, and metrics from research and practice that measure the distributional equity of transportation planning and projects to help implement equitable solutions, there has not been a systematic accounting of how effective the tools and indices are across geographic scales and population groups or how they might work together or compete with one another to advance equity.
Project Description: This research evaluates online equity tools that exist as spatial dashboards —i.e., interactive maps in which the parameters of interaction are controlled. Twelve tools ranging from the national to the local level were identified and qualitatively assessed for their ability to address conditions related to transportation equity. The evaluation focused on how each tool defines disadvantaged communities, the outcomes they measure (benefits, burdens, or other), their ease of use, and their ability to guide decisions about equity. The findings show a diversity of methods and metrics in defining disadvantage, with most relying on composite demographic indexes and comparative population thresholds. Tools most commonly provided accessibility metrics to assess transportation benefits, while incorporating a range of environmental and health indicators as burden measures. A minority of tools had integrated features to support planning or project implementation. This study provides examples of promising practices in transportation equity support tools.
Status: In Progress
Budget: $30,000