by the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission
The Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission, a state-established area-wide planning agency for northeastern Wisconsin, is currently studying the transportation challenges that exist for citizens to access services that would benefit their health. The Bay-Lake Region (study area) includes the counties of Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, and Sheboygan.
The region contains communities that are both urban and rural spanning from the Lake Michigan shoreline to the Nicolet National Forest. Many people in the study area have few options for transportation other than private car ownership to access services that benefit their health. Recreational opportunities, healthcare facilities, and healthy food options are out of reach for many in the region without a private car, ultimately creating a barrier to improving public health.
The Commission’s Transportation Access to Public Health Options Study (TAPHO) aims to better document the existing gaps of accessing the region’s public health options through various means of transportation, including walking, biking, and public transit. By identifying these gaps, policymakers can make informed decisions and direct investment toward closing them, which in turn improves the communities’ quality of life, strengthens their economies, and improves overall community health. Providing an alternative transportation mode to access public health options ensures that communities thrive, sustain a high quality of life, and retain their citizens.
Many things come to mind when discussing public health, such as physical health, mental health, establishing an active lifestyle, consuming healthy food, and so on. The TAPHO study illustrates destinations within the region associated with health improvement and documents the transportation services and facilities available to get to these locations.
The TAPHO project consists of six phases, each being mapped using ESRI’s ArcGIS software. Phase one involves locating all hospitals, clinics, dentists, and pharmacies within the region. Phase two focuses on collecting and mapping state, county, city, village, and town parks, as well as natural areas. Phase three gathers’ data on active lifestyle options, including gyms (e.g., YMCA facilities), wellness centers, and community centers. Phase four identifies farmers' markets, food pantries, EBT locations, and meal programs. Phase four will also map cultural grocery stores within the region. The fifth phase examines transportation providers, including intercity bus routes, metro systems, paratransit services, and other public transportation options. Phase five also maps out bike lanes and sidewalks within the region. The final phase, phase six, is an executive summary that identifies the transportation gaps and provides recommendations to address them.
The study aims to encourage stakeholders and policymakers to actively work toward closing these identified transportation gaps. It will also provide citizens with an online toolkit to better understand their community's access to transportation and encourage them to consider alternative modes of transport when and where available. The study is also aimed to provide a data set to small communities within our region who might not have access to such data.