Project Sidewalk + Community Science

Despite decades of effort, pedestrian infrastructure in cities continues to be unsafe or inaccessible to people with disabilities. In this project, we examine the potential of community-driven digital civics to assess sidewalk accessibility through an open-source crowdsourcing tool called Project Sidewalk. We explore Project Sidewalk's potential as a platform for civic learning and service, including its effectiveness as a tool for community members to learn about human mobility, urban planning, and accessibility advocacy. Our findings demonstrate that community-driven digital civics can support accessibility advocacy and education, raise community awareness, and drive pro-social behavioral change. We also outline key considerations for deploying digital civic tools in future community-led accessibility initiatives.