Wisconsin DOT Deploys GIS Tool for Non-Drivers

A new GIS mapping tool launched by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation aims to help policy makers, transportation planners, and mobility providers align transportation resources with underserved and “non-driving” populations statewide.

[Above photo by the Wisconsin DOT]

More than one million people in Wisconsin are non-drivers, the agency said – many of whom are seniors, individuals with disabilities, young people, and “low-income” individuals.

Photo by Wisconsin DOT

The Non-Driver ArcGIS Online Application, available via the Wisconsin DOT’s website, enables state and local decision makers to locate non-driver populations in their area and begin to plan or expand public transportation options.

The Non-Driver ArcGIS Online Application allows users to access census data and Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicle data on a state map. Users can view estimates of how many non-drivers live in a given county, municipality, or census area. By comparing non-driver location data with transportation service mapping, users can identify ‘hotspots’ of underserved and unserved Wisconsin non-drivers, the agency said.

“Because our transportation system has historically been designed around private automobiles, not having access to a car can make it very challenging to get to work and school, to get medical care and meet the other needs of daily life,” said Wisconsin DOT Secretary Craig Thompson in a statement.

“To better meet the needs of non-drivers, we have to understand where they live and what mobility resources they can access, and that’s what this tool will help policy makers do,” he added.

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