Walkability and walking activity are of interest to planners, engineers, and health practitioners for their potential to improve safety, promote environmental and public health, and increase social equity. Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) will reshape the built environment, mobility, and safety in ways we cannot know with certainty—but which we may anticipate will change the meaning of “walkability.” The CAV era may provide economic, environmental, and social benefits, while potentially disrupting the status quo. This paper considers the concept of walkability in light of the approaching transition to CAVs, considering literature in engineering, information technology, built environment, land use, and public health, to support a discussion on research needs. To add depth, we subject a collection of research papers and technical reports to text analytics.

In 2016, an exceptional drought and subsequent wildfires devastated the southeastern United States. Western North Carolina (WNC), a socioeconomically growing region that is dependent on revenue from tourism and agriculture, was particularly impacted by the events. The Southeast is not typically considered to be water vulnerable, and few studies have explored drought and wildfire in WNC. However, the region is projected to experience elevated water vulnerability as a result of rapid population growth and increased climatic variability. The recent events highlight the need for better understanding of water-related experiences and perceptions to inform proactive policies for risk mitigation in WNC. To evaluate stakeholder experiences and perceptions relating to the events in 2016, the authors conducted telephone interviews with key informants from a variety of sectors in two counties (Buncombe and Watauga) and then subjected their responses to content analysis. Informants frequently discussed themes relating to the “Natural Resources and Environment” code group, with responses revealing concerns about the health effects of smoke exposure, as well as water quantity. Other common topics of discussion for informants include water management, public awareness, and disaster severity. The prevalence of other themes varied by county, demonstrating the importance of local context. Surprisingly, informants rarely discussed risk in the context of increasing population and development, suggesting that current policies may inadequately address future risks. Stakeholders across all sectors placed substantial emphasis on information dissemination both within agencies and to the public. With a better understanding of key-informant experiences and perceptions, policymakers will be better equipped to address policy shortcomings as well as to prepare for future hazards.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities for indoor and sometimes outdoor recreation were restricted across the world. Despite restrictions, many greenways and rail-trails saw increased use. Messaging from the federal and state public health authorities stressed the importance of social distancing and other preventive measures in reducing spread of the coronavirus. Little is known about actual behaviors of individuals and groups using these outdoor recreational opportunities. This study used passive infrared cameras to systematically observe physical distancing behaviors on multi-user trails to assess safety implications of trail use during June 2020. Most interactions occurred with the recommended six feet of distance between users. Maintaining six feet of distance is more likely to occur when groups are no larger than one person, users pass while traveling in opposite directions, and trails are wider. Messaging on multi-user trails should target how groups pass other groups such as: ‘keep six feet’ and ‘pass single file’.

Macro (community practice) social work and community planning practitioners do not have an extensive tradition – over time or space – of working together, despite overlapping professional goals and service populations. In an exploratory qualitative study using a convenience sample, we analyzed student responses to questions about the experience of interdisciplinary course activities to assess whether students in these two disciplines valued opportunities to collaborate with those from an unfamiliar and yet complementary profession. Content analysis suggested modest positive attitudes – and some differences, with planning students somewhat more positive about the interaction, and social work students less likely to see the planning profession as relevant to community practice.

This case study examines young children’s access to fresh local produce in childcare settings in rural Appalachia. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with childcare center directors participating in farm to early care and education programming were conducted in the spring of 2023. Centering the per­spective of childcare directors, this research explores why farm to school programming is diffi­cult to implement. It specifically addresses the bar­riers preventing early childcare centers from pro­viding access to fresh and local produce to enrolled children. Eight primary obstacles to implementing farm to early care and education programming were identified: lack of staff; too wide a variety of tasks for directors; the “extra” work that fresh pro­duce requires; lack of knowledge about how to grow food; lack of required kitchen equipment; need for additional funding; unclear or out-of-date regulations about food safety; and a lack of paren­tal time. Limitations of the research include the specific geographic location of the study and the long-lasting implications of the COVID-19 pan­demic. Recommendations drawn from this case study include improving communication between childcare centers and regulatory agencies; creative use of alternative gardening practices; participating in a regional food hub; and improved funding.

Automated Vehicles (AVs) will change the transportation landscape in still-uncertain ways. The timeline for this change depends not just on the pace of technological advancement, but also on public attitudes about AVs. These attitudes include perceptions of safety and tolerance of new vehicle ownership structures that will likely emerge when and if fully self-driving models are available. This study aims to determine the extent to which young people are open to using AVs and forgoing ownership of conventional personal vehicles in favor of AV-based shared mobility. With the potential for widespread AV deployment in the near term, the perspectives of this age group are important for understanding the impacts of AVs on the mobility landscape. An online survey was distributed through professional networks across the country in early 2020 to gauge comfort levels in riding in AVs, relying on shared mobility, and owning an AV. Univariate and bivariate chi-square tests were performed to test the correlation between explanatory variables and perceptions of AVs. The responses revealed ambivalence toward AVs. Significant relationships indicate that gender identity and urbanicity matter when it comes to willingness to use AVs and shared mobility. Results also show that young adults may not be as ready for AVs as some have hypothesized. The results of this study help address gaps in AV perception research and gauge current attitudes of young adults toward a future of transportation that includes connected and automated vehicles.