Improving Transit Safety
Understanding barriers to safe transportation access @ SDOT
2024 - 2025
WHAT MAKES TRANSIT FEEL UNSAFE?
Project Timeline
Process
My role
1 year (ongoing!)
Outlining Research Goals
Identifying Methods
Implementing Data Collection
Data Analysis
Design Recommendations
Developing Research Strategies
Facilitating Participatory Research
Implementing Data Collection
Overseeing Data Collection & Analysis
The Transportation Access Program (TAP) at the Seattle Department of Transportation seeks to improve access to transportation for all people. This project sought to understand current barriers in safe access to transportation specifically for riders experiencing housing insecurity.
Overview
Data Collection
Outlining Research Methods
Analysis and Insights
Research Goals and Methods
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Identify specific factors that make public transit access, transit infrastructure, and right of way feel unsafe for vulnerable riders.
Identify traffic safety concerns that create challenges for vulnerable riders.
Understand travel patterns and destinations for riders.
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Create an inclusive definition of safety that can serve as a foundation to improve transportation safety in Seattle.
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To understand transit safety experiences among vulnerable riders in Seattle, we took a participatory research approach in collaboration with community-based organizations serving marginalized populations. These partnerships were essential in shaping the research design — from identifying key concerns to co-developing survey tools — ensuring the process was grounded in the lived realities of those most impacted. Together, we collaborated on a mixed-methods research approach.
What are the common places you go to? How do you get there?
Can you tell us about your experience getting around the city— especially when using sidewalks and roads?
What kinds of improvements would make you feel safer accessing your destinations?
When you're outside, how do you know if you feel unsafe or just uncomfortable?
When you feel unsafe walking to or waiting for the bus, how does that affect what you do— like changing your route, schedule, or not going at all?
Surveys
Interviews
Focus Groups
Key Questions
Project Approach
Data Collection
Outlining Research Methods
Analysis and Insights
To ensure inclusivity and accessibility, we distributed surveys both digitally and in paper form, offering them in 19 languages. I co-facilitated the distribution of surveys with community-based populations that worked with our target audience. These partnerships allowed us to reach people often excluded from traditional transit research.
We aimed to collect 1,000 survey responses and engage 500 participants through focus groups and interviews to gather deeper, qualitative insights. To honor participants' time and contributions, we provided compensation in the form of gift cards and swag bags.
As part of our participatory approach, I led a digital training for our agency partners focused on best practices for conducting user research — covering topics such as inclusive survey distribution, facilitating trauma-informed focus groups, and ethical data collection. This training was presented to 6 agency partners, reaching over 20 people, and helped ensure that research was conducted consistently and respectfully across all participating organizations.
Recruitment and Data Collection Goals
Empowering Partners for Inclusive Research
THE GOAL
500 responses for qualitative outreach
1000 survey responses
Data Collection
Outlining Research Methods
Analysis and Insights
Since this is an ongoing project, we are currently in the process of gathering and analyzing the data using Tableau and Excel to uncover trends across both quantitative and qualitative responses. Our initial insights highlight recurring safety concerns related to pedestrian infrastructure, lighting, and interactions at bus stops. As my team and I continue to synthesize findings, we're working closely with our agency partners to ensure the insights are actionable and grounded in community experiences. Stay tuned for updates as I share deeper findings and recommendations in the coming months!
Data Analysis and Insights