JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The built environment and urban design are now recognized as primary drivers of achieving an active and healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, the benefits of large green-space developments often are not distributed equally, and low-income communities of color often suffer unintended consequences.

Objective:

We will examine the impact of a new Bridge Park on longitudinal changes in the spacio-physical and spacio-behavioral characteristics of the built environment, as well as in individual-level physical activity patterns, food access and security, and perceptions of neighborhood safety, gentrification, and social capital among 300 family clusters living in Washington, DC Wards 6, 7, and 8.

Methods:

The 11th Street Bridge Park is unique because it will link one of the more affluent DC regions (Ward 6: West of the Anacostia River) to the ward with the highest level of poverty (Ward 8: East of the Anacostia River). We will rely on a quasi-experimental design to examine the longitudinal impact of the Bridge Park on community health over 3 years. Our study area comprises census tracts within a one-mile radius of the Bridge Park, as well as three comparison census tracts that are not expected to be affected directly by the Park. ArcGIS and audit tools will assess the built environment, while primary data will be collected by device-based and self-reported measures.

Results:

This protocol was funded the National Institute of Nursing Research [NIH/NINR R01 NR 021883 (L DiPietro, PI)] in August of 2025. Institutional Review Board approval (protocol NCR256815) was granted on December 29, 2025. Baseline park, playground, and trail audits will begin in June 2026 and recruitment for primary data collection will begin in July 2026.

Conclusions:

Given the consistently strong relationship observed between poverty, low access to health promoting environmental features, and poor health, findings disseminated from this project will inform other urban design projects to provide equitable and sustainable benefits to everyone living in the community.