Modeling Walkability in Opelika, Alabama

The City of Opelika built its industry on textile mills and railroads. After both industries were outsourced, Opelika experienced a period of decline. However, with its newly revitalized historic district, its distinction as Alabama’s first “Gig City,” and its proximity to nearby Auburn University and Tuskegee University, the city has seen a resurgence in its population and economic growth. Even still, many social problems remain unaddressed, which has led to increases in crime, foster care removals, and visits to the emergency room.

One of the primary goals of city planners is to provide a living environment that accounts for the basic needs of its residents. Since World War II however, rapid growth and suburbanization shifted focus away from community health. With the advent of GIS applications, many cities are revisiting how their infrastructure impacts social, economic, and health concerns. The American Planning Association (APA) and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have developed the most well-known tools to help planners in cities, towns, and municipalities create their own metrics tailored to the city’s needs.

This project’s goal is to create a model to assess the city’s main issues and needs by location. Research will primarily revolve around resident accessibility to schools, parks, jobs, groceries, and other amenities through walking, cycling, and driving. From there, its effectiveness will be determined by overlaying crime, poverty, foster care, and other social issues to see how well they correlate and to finalize the model. Gainsville, FL based its research on improving quality of life and targeting at-risk youth, which would be one of the goals of this project. This modelling tool will ideally provide a baseline measure and provide direction for how future planning decisions will impact all residents within the city.