Incorporating equity into active commuting to school infrastructure projects: A case study

The City of Austin, Texas, USA allocated significant funding for comprehensive Safe Routes to School (SRTS) infrastructure projects split equally across Council districts, but allocated using a scoring system incorporating demand, community input, safety, and equity. This case study describes the SRTS project prioritization process and provides a qualitative assessment of how well health equity was addressed. Data from City of Austin reports were combined with school-level demographic data to determine equity of need distribution; interviews were conducted with city-level stakeholders. Area- and school-level socioeconomic status represented equity measures in prioritization of projects for construction. Results indicate that council districts with the highest funding needs had an average of >80% economically disadvantaged students, and qualitative data identified the equal, but inequitable nature of the funding among the council districts was a top concern. Lessons learned from this process can serve as an example for equity considerations in active transportation infrastructure.