Half of America lives in suburban neighborhoods that were designed to facilitate the movement of automobiles, while limiting the mobility of pedestrians. The dependence of people on cars has impacted the environment in terms of air quality and land use, and public health in terms of physical fitness, social interaction, and equity of access to destinations.
This thesis is a case study of three communities in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio: the City of Mason and Deerfield Township in Warren County, and West Chester Township in Butler County. I have synthesized a variety of methods used to measure pedestrian accessibility and infrastructure distribution. Using GIS, I have added to existing quantitative measures the concept of pedestrian impedance. This metric is combined with measurements of route distance and directness, and analyzed in conjunction with site maps and field observations, providing a comprehensive method for analyzing pedestrian accessibility, and targeting areas for infrastructure improvements.