26 | NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION BEST PRACTICES: SITE DESIGN BEST PRACTICE: PLAN FOR CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESSIBILITY DESCRIPTION: Connectivity and accessibility make parks and trails user-friendly for all ages and levels of physical ability, encourage park use and ensure user safety. While connectivity can be a larger issue addressed in city- or county-wide plans, it ties into issues of accessibility and is important to address at the site scale. Specific park designs can determine connections to existing or potential future routes and how people travel within parks. Connecting smaller parks can also provide the same amenities as larger parks while requiring less land in one place.85 STRATEGIES: • Follow Safe Routes to Parks guidelines and planning tools. • Review existing and planned transportation routes in park vicinity. • Develop an Alternative Transportation Plan that focuses on region-wide non-vehicular transportation. • Gather public opinion related to park access and connectivity and incorporate community input into designs. • Ensure that routes through planned park connect to existing/planned routes. • Create inviting park entrances and wayfinding signage to encourage use. • Follow applicable accessibility standards. EXAMPLES: • The City of St. Louis, Missouri’s Park Department conducted a connectivity and mobility study to assess connections within and outside of Forest Park, an urban park spanning two square miles. This study helps address how this specific park can better meet the needs of St. Louis residents, while examining its relationship to the city’s overall transportation system.86 • The City of Portland, Oregon emphasizes connectivity and accessibility in its trail design guidelines, laying out four main goals for trail design: safety, connectivity, context, and diversity. Its aim is to provide user- friendly trails and create a city-wide network, providing safe recreational opportunities for all users.87 RESOURCES: • Forest Park Forever: Forest Park Connectivity and Mobility Study • National Park Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Parks, Trails, and Health Workbook • American Planning Association: Safe Routes to Parks Toolkit • National Recreation and Parks Association: Safe Routes to Parks Report
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