SCC-CIVIC-PG Track B: Night Moves - Enhancing Mobility Accessibility and Safety for Night Shift Workers in Baltimore, Maryland

Night shift workers play a crucial role in a continuously operating economy. However, they also encounter unique challenges such as limited transportation options and increased safety risks during nighttime hours. These issues are particularly pronounced in Baltimore City, Maryland, which grapples with crime rates in the evening, inadequate nighttime transit coverage, and mismatches between job locations and residential areas for night shift workers.

The recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge has exacerbated commuting pressures further. The primary objective of this CIVIC Stage 1 award is to improve mobility and safety for night shift workers in Baltimore. This project will investigate the mobility and safety needs of nigh workers and the spatial job mismatch problem in Baltimore.

By working closely with local communities, transportation authorities, and the local mobility industry, this project will identify effective and sustainable solutions, such as redesigning transit routes, adjusting schedules to meet nighttime demand and exploring flexible transportation services.

In Baltimore City, Maryland, persistent high crime rates, particularly at night, present significant challenges for night shift workers, especially in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. This issue is compounded by a spatial mismatch between the locations of night-shift jobs and residential areas, which restricts mobility options and heightens vulnerability to crime, exacerbated further by the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

To address these issues, our objectives are fourfold: first, to investigate the spatial mismatch problem in Baltimore City, focusing on night shift jobs; second, to analyze the mobility needs of night workers and develop a tool to assess vulnerability in high-risk areas; third, to identify deficiencies in public mobility services and support Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) in improving transit systems, while exploring alternative transportation solutions; and finally, to cultivate partnerships with local industries to enhance public transport options as necessary.

This project is in response to the Civic Innovation Challenge program’s Track A. Climate and Environmental Instability - Building Resilient Communities through Co-Design, Adaption, and Mitigation and is a collaboration between NSF, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Energy.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.