Examining Varying Levels of Accessibility to Greenways Based on Socio-Demographic Characteristics A Case Study of San Antonio, Texas

Abstract

An important issue associated with the provision of urban green space is the distribution of the space and the resulting accessibility for communities across a city. As a public amenity, it is important to ensure every population group has access to urban green space. With recent efforts toward building greenway systems in many cities, it is critical to examine whether these greenways contribute to equal access to green space, especially for disadvantaged neighborhoods. This study explored the accessibility of greenway systems in San Antonio, Texas by measuring the network distance from each neighborhood to greenway entrances and number of greenway entrances within specific distances from neighborhoods. The study used GIS analyses of census data with demographic and socioeconomic variables and streets data of San Antonio. Statistical analyses, e.g., bivariate correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression, were also used to explore the relationship between the socioeconomic variables and the dependent variable representing the accessibility of greenway. The results showed that lower socio-demographic groups enjoyed the same level or better access to greenways. The results also showed that urban areas have better access to greenways than suburban areas. Population density, black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, female, and unemployment rate had a statistically significant association with the accessibility of greenway as well. The spatial difference is related to the different distribution of socioeconomic characteristics. With the results, implications for design or management of greenway trail systems to provide residents more accessibility to these systems are discussed.