Description

Access to healthcare is a key component of public health equity, yet many U.S. communities remain dependent on private vehicles for medical travel. This study introduces an integrated framework, the Transit+Walk Score (TWS), to evaluate how effectively residents of Sacramento, California, can reach healthcare facilities via public transit and how safely, comfortably, and conveniently they can walk from transit stops to those facilities. The research aims to inform planners, transit agencies, and policy makers in designing equitable and multimodal transportation systems. The research team combined geospatial network modeling and field-based walkability audits to assess 123 healthcare facilities across Sacramento, with 56 sites selected for detailed evaluation using the Pedestrian Environment Data Scan (PEDS) tool. The TWS integrated modeled transit travel times with on-the-ground walkability data to identify areas of high and low accessibility. Findings revealed that Downtown, Midtown, and East Sacramento exhibited the highest multimodal accessibility, while northern Arden-Arcade and outer suburban areas demonstrated the lowest. Educational attainment emerged as the strongest predictor of accessibility, highlighting structural inequities in pedestrian and transit infrastructure. The study concludes that equitable healthcare access requires both reliable transit and safe, continuous pedestrian networks. The TWS offers a scalable, data-driven tool to guide future investments that advance health equity, sustainable transportation, and inclusive community design.

Publication Date

3-21-2026

Publication Type

Report

Topic

Active Transportation, Transit and Passenger Rail

Digital Object Identifier

10.31979/mti.2026.2509

MTI Project

2509

Keywords

Public transit, Walkability, Health care facilities, Access, Transportation equity

Disciplines

Civil Engineering | Transportation | Urban Studies and Planning

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