Master's Thesis

Defended and Passed: May 2022

Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Mapes, Kent State University

Myers, J. C. (2022). Perceptions of Walking for Transportation in Small-Towns: A study of Hutchinson, Minnesota [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1650550350030599 

Abstract

This research investigates walking as a form of transportation in small towns, by working to identify perceived barriers and facilitators of walking. The two main objectives of this project are to recognize and acknowledge perceived barriers to walkability in small towns and to better understand how community perceptions of walking can help to shape more walkable small towns. Quite a bit of research has been published on walkability in urban areas, but very little published research exists on utilitarian walking in rural areas and small towns. Many small towns do have the basic infrastructure to support walking, but the human element in making the decision to walk or drive often sides with the norms of the community and it is important to understand that no two people will have the same experiences walking and those individual choices to walk or not differ greatly based on a wide range of forces and factors. This research uses a mixed-methods exploratory design, with a quantitative online survey informing one-on-one qualitative interviews and sketch mapping to learn about perceptions of walking in Hutchinson, Minnesota. This research found that barriers to walking include personal and public perceptions, safety concerns, and the convenience of driving as opposed to walking. 

Related Work: 

Limited Pedestrian Crossings of Main Routes in Hutchinson, Minnesota: Problems and Possible Solutions

Abstract

America’s fascination with the perfect “Main Street USA” is decades old- stemming from the ideal of the American Dream and a white picket fence community- but has become less and less of a reality in recent years. Small towns are suffering. What used to be a picturesque, pedestrian-focused stretch of road with local businesses lining the streets, creating a public space for the community to flourish, has been developed into a car-centric thoroughfare with more lanes being squeezed between the historical buildings that are leftover from the heyday of local commerce (Kunstler 1998). Cities are quick to support widening roads and added lanes, as the promise of more traffic coming through town should ideally correlate to more commerce and economic growth. Unfortunately, this often has a huge negative impact on the walkability of a town and threatens pedestrian accessibility and safety. This paper aims to dive into the issues of pedestrian access and crossings on these main streets-turned highways, and identify issues and possible solutions to the problems. This project will focus specifically on the State Highways 7 and 15 that bisects the small town of Hutchinson, Minnesota.