Designing micromobility hub networks via short-from geodesign workshop series in Tempe, Arizona

Keywords: micromobilty, geodesign, transportation planning, stakeholder engagement, public participatory planning
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Shared active transportation vehicles are on our streets and micromobility hubs provide a solution for managing their presence in the public right-of-way and connecting them to other modes of transportation. There is a growing literature on optimization approaches and other methods for planning networks for such facilities. In some practical applications, there can be a public participatory planning process to approve or improve these networks. We developed a generalizable method for applying geodesign workshops to support and facilitate the constructive input of public stakeholder perspectives into the design of micromobility hub networks. We invited participants to three separate two-hour workshops conducted over three nights. For each workshop, we sorted participants into stakeholder groups of 3-4 people and allotted them forty-five minutes to select locations for stations in and around the study area. Participants selected sites using a custom-built geodesign application that displayed annual counts of scooter trip starts and ends, public transit infrastructure networks, and census counts of impoverished households. Twenty-seven participants yielded 9 preliminary micromobility network designs with 282 site placements and three final micromobility network designs with 149 site placements. Multiple considerations and concerns regarding site placement on residential streets arose during deliberation, and most final site placements were located along artery and collector roads or in neighborhood parks. Post-workshop surveys indicated widespread participant satisfaction with the method and results.