This rapid health impact assessment (HIA) was integrated into the planning process for the Robbinsville (NC) Pedestrian and Greenway Plans. The HIA used research and literature reviews, and a stakeholder workshop to determine how the plans could impact physical health by promoting active transportation and mental health by fostering social connections. The HIA made several recommendations including ensuring proper lighting to improve safety, implementing a regular maintenance schedule to ensure that the pedestrian trails don’t fall into disrepair, organizing community events around the trails, and using abatement measures during construction to mitigate potential harmful impacts from dust, noise, and other construction activities. The HIA also made specific recommendations for community partners and stakeholders for promoting use and monitoring usage.
–
This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health was originally developed by the Health Impact Project, formerly a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The creation of this resource was supported by a grant from the Health Impact Project. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Pew Charitable Trusts, or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
