This is my first assginment for the 'massive online open course' called TechniCity (https://www.coursera.org/course/techcity). This is a project proposal for the class focusing on a mobile app to improve reporting dangerous streets/ intersections and areas of the city requiring maintenance service.

1. NK
nicolekusold@gmail.com | @nicolekusold | www.nicolekusold.com
ASSIGNMENT 1: PROJECT PROPOSAL
1. Topic: What is the issue you want to explore
There are two primary issues I’m interested I’m interested in exploring:
a. The collection and aggregation of data pertaining to hazardous or otherwise unfriendly
cyclist/pedestrian streets and intersections. This data would be made publicly available in order
to be used to inform new cyclist and pedestrian-centric infrastructure construction (ex:
bikepaths, widened sidewalks, sharrows, road construction/ repairs, etc.).
b. Increasing the ease (and thereby public’s participation) in submitting requests for city services
to repair existing infrastructure that affects cyclist and pedestrian transportation.
2. What: What do you hope to learn by exploring this issue
I hope to learn the following from the exploration of the two primary issues listed above:
a. I would like to find out (for myself and make the information available to the local government,
advocacy groups and general public) what areas of the city are the most likely to be improved
by government funds used to improve infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Our city
(Cleveland, Ohio, USA) has recently passed a “Complete Streets” initiative that promotes the
creation/modification of infrastructure to better accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
The challenge is that aside from occasional manual traffic counts, and police reports, the city
has very little data to help them make educated decisions in regards to where and how to
improve infrastructure.
For example, the city recently created a widened multi-purpose path over a bridge that already
had bike lanes and sidewalks. This decision was perceived by some citizens to have been
based out of politics, rather than an actual need and challenging groups argued that the money
to create the new multi-purpose path would have been better used to create new bike lanes in
areas where existing bike lanes/paths did not already exist.
Through this project, I hope to provide the city and local bike/ped advocacy groups data and
statistics based on user-reported concerns to inform the spend of money on improving bike/ped
infrastructure.
b. The second issue I want to address is that it is currently burdensome to submit requests (road
hazard repair, street light outages, graffiti removal, park clean-ups, safety concerns, etc.) to the
appropriate city/ state service departments. It is difficult to locate the contact information of the
disparate agencies, and citizens reporting incidents are sometimes challenged in locating the
appropriate agency (ex: state park vs. city park vs. regional park system; local vs. state vs.
federal roadways, etc.). By decreasing the barriers to reporting issues, my hope is that more
issues will be reported so the city gains a greater awareness to issues and neighborhoods
requiring maintence to existing bike/ped infrastructure.
3. Why: Why are you drawn to exploring this issue
I commute via bicycle daily to work, travelling between downtown and an outlying neighborhood.
Everyday, I witness many hazards in the condition and design of roadways that pose dangers to
myself and fellow cyclists, including:
a. Road hazards: sinking manholes/ rain water grates, giant potholes, large cracks in the road,
large debris in bike lanes/ streets/ sidewalks, roadkill.

2. NK
nicolekusold@gmail.com | @nicolekusold | www.nicolekusold.com
b. Dangerous intersections: Confusing traffic patterns, confusing or absent directional signage,
poor visibility for drivers and bikes/peds alike, burnt out street lights.
c. Road layout that does not discourage aggressive, high-speed and disengaged automobile
drivers (including many large semi-trucks that travel to and from construction downtown at high
speeds and with seemingly little familiarity of downtown traffic patterns).
These issues not only affect myself and other commuters, but these hazards also discourage
additional people from cycling or walking (as opposed to driving). My goal for this project would be to
use the data collected to encourage the local government to address these risks, thereby increasing
the ease and safety of bike/ped travel around the city.
4. Where: What city are you exploring this issue in. You should include pictures, maps, or other
graphics if possible showing the issue in your city. Be sure to include the sources of any
images that you include. In order to include these images in your assignment, you will need to
provide a weblink to the images you want to show.
My project will be focused on Cleveland, OH, in the downtown area and the nearby neighborhoods of
Ohio City and Tremont. These areas are already recognized as generally bike-friendly and with
existing bike/ped traffic, would make a good place to pilot this initiative.
Image Source: http://www.livecleveland.org/neighborhoods
5. Who: Who are the people that are most impacted by the issue? Who do you think you would
like to engage as part of this project?
In regards to data collection, I would pursue the most frequent and consistent cyclists and pedestrians
in the downtown area:
a. Bike messengers
b. Daily commuters

3. NK
nicolekusold@gmail.com | @nicolekusold | www.nicolekusold.com
c. Downtown, Ohio City and Tremont area residents
d. Downtown Cleveland Alliance on-the-street ambassadors/ safety escorts
e. Members of the local bike advocacy group, “Bike Cleveland”
f. Members of “The Bike Rack,” a bike station (where people rent bikes, lockers and showers,
and store bikes indoors).
Ultimately though, improved pedestrian and cyclist traffic will increase the vitality of the city and
increase momentum on the streets. Increased foot and cycle traffic on the street could mean increased
patronage of local establishments, an improved experience for residents and visitors, and an overall
enhancement to the atmosphere and livability of the city.
6. How: How does the student hope to explore this topic:
a. Data Analysis: What data do you hope to obtain and how do you anticipate using this to
support your project?
I will use the data I collect to find trends in areas of the city that are most reported to be in need
of revitalization, upgrade or re-design. I will make this data publicly available (possibly through
an API)
b. Design: Describe the key design elements that you hope to include in your project.
A mobile app (or mobile friendly site, at a minimum) will be the vehicle for collecting data on
dangerous streets/ intersections and allowing users to readily report areas needing
maintenance. I will need to design the app to be affective in collecting information from people
who will likely be on the street biking or walking. I will also need to design the data analysis
portion of the project.
7. Final Product: Describe what format you anticipate that the final product will be in. You could
create a poster, video, document, or other proposed final product format.
In addition to the mobile app/ mobile friendly site, I will create a PowerPoint Presentation or Word
Document to record the findings of the collected data, as well as documentation of my process and the
successes and challenges of the project.
8. Who you are working with: Indicate whether this is your project or if you are working in a team.
I will be working independently.