GISCorps Volunteer Assisted Run Her Way with GIS Needs

Background

Run Her Way (RHW) is a global non-profit organization committed to creating a safer running environment for women and girls. Founded by Kate Tellier, the organization focuses on community building and practical, implementable solutions. As part of their advocacy work, they collect community insights and conduct detailed analysis of local running environments in cities. They have active projects and partnerships in Amsterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht, and London, and a growing pipeline of future initiatives. 

The Mission

The project initially focused on four objectives:

1. Developing two Survey123 forms: Replace two existing forms/surveys with newly created Survey123 forms;
2. Data mining: Structure the survey data already collected and enrich it with relevant spatial data to
   generate a comprehensive overview of the current running environment;
3. Data conversion: Convert various KML files into a file geodatabase format;
4. Spatial data collection: Provide recommendations on transitioning the previously used process of collecting running route data and feedback to a workflow that leverages Esri tools.

The ultimate goal of this project was to establish the foundation of a workflow that starts with public data collection and ends with an informative dashboard for runners and policymakers. For policymakers, the dashboard would provide insights into which routes runners use most frequently and what experiences or safety concerns have been reported, enabling them to improve infrastructure. This interactive dashboard would bring all relevant information together and allow users to add new running experiences over time. For runners, the dashboard would indicate which routes are safe to use – especially during winter – and encourage them to follow these recommended paths.

The Work

Since the start of the project, we created a new intake survey through Survey123 Connect. This survey was published for Amsterdam and later for The Hague. Additionally, we developed a check‐in form and a “get engaged” form (embedded in the Experience) to further support public data collection. The structure of these forms is designed to be easily reusable for future cities or use cases.

We cleaned and visualized the collected data for Utrecht, categorizing the point, line and polygon datasets. These visualizations have been refined and are now shown on the first page of the Experience. Strava Metro data was collected, analyzed and visualized to identify the primary running corridors in Utrecht. This dataset aligns well with the public survey input and is displayed on the second page of the Experience.

Audit data was collected using ArcGIS Instant Apps. In future iterations, this will also be done via Survey123 for consistency. This audit data is displayed on the third page of the dashboard.

A “get involved” survey was created and is displayed on the fourth page. The fifth page highlights upcoming projects. We also discussed future work to determine how best to continue building on the progress made. The Experience will eventually be replicated for Amsterdam and The Hague, benefiting from the reusable framework already established.

Project Complete