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Southern Arizona Heat Planning Summit What: Over 110 representatives from grassroots, nonprofit, government, private sector, labor unions, utilities, and academic organizations in Southern Arizona convened and coproduced a list of gaps and opportunities to improve community heat resilience. When: 3 February 2024 Where: Tucson, Arizona KEYWORDS: Emergency preparedness; Heat wave; Heat islands; Planning; Resilience, 1. Introduction Extreme heat events in the U.S. Southwest have become more frequent, longer, and intense over the last few decades (EPA 2023; USGCRP 2023), mirroring global patterns (IPCC 2023; [...]

Climate change and the urban heat island (UHI) effect are increasing extreme heat risk in cities across the world, and have already made extreme heat the top weather-related cause of death in the United States. Despite this, understanding of viable strategies to address extreme heat is still limited, for both decision-makers and the public. Using a design-based research methodology, we developed an interactive educational game, "Chill City," which teaches players about possible heat planning strategies and their tradeoffs. We surveyed adult, non-expert players to understand the game's reception and impacts. Players expressed that they enjoyed the game and that it helped them better understand heat planning strategies and the environmental, social, and economic tradeoffs associated with them. We argue that environmental games offer educational potential for adult learners on issues of extreme heat and climate change that should be further explored to inform effective approaches and designs.

Increasing extreme heat poses challenges to metropolitan areas, such as those areas already experiencing extreme heat in Arizona. Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) Framework, state and local health departments have looked to expand cooling center networks as one option to build heat resilience. We present a method to pick new locations for cooling centers based on demand and current coverage. Using two locations in Arizona, we highlight differences in workflows and how the resulting information can be incorporated into separate but parallel efforts to reduce heat impacts. We used the Network Analyst Location‐Allocation tool in ArcGIS Pro to maximize coverage of cooling centers in each area, so that additional cooling centers are selected to reflect local needs. The input data and parameters of the workflow were co‐produced with input from two county health departments and a cooling center working group to better address the unique challenges related to cooling center access. To facilitate the application of this approach to other regions seeking to address heat health inequities, we provide a detailed protocol and a discussion of alternative selections. Plain Language Summary: Cooling centers are a primary response to extreme heat in metropolitan areas. Ideally, they are located in ways to balance community need and broad coverage. We use existing technology and publicly available data to present a method for picking cooling center locations based on demand and current coverage. We use two locations in Arizona to highlight different choices that the users can make. The methodology is described as well as rationale for the choices and discussion of alternative options. Key Points: We co‐produced a workflow to improve access to cooling centers for the Phoenix and Tucson areas in ArizonaThe workflow is generalizable to communities with varying levels of resourcesIterative conversations with our partners enabled us to customize the workflow to better reflect the needs of at‐risk communities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planners face a complex process from planning projects to final construction and evaluation in cycle planning. Planners tend to coordinate with peers in neighboring cities, advocates, politicians, other policymakers, and researchers to implement cycling plans. Documenting this decision-making process and the sources of information that guide decisions can provide insight into creating better cycling planning research and fostering stronger collaborations. We first provide a brief history of cycle planning in Tucson, Arizona, to demonstrate the current issues and efforts. Then, we present findings from interviews with Tucson planners and an advocate to explore information sources, collaboration, barriers, and opportunities for action for bicycle planning. Our results highlight the need for research presented in consumable ways, particularly through professional networks, and the potential for university outreach offices to assist in public participation and outreach, professional education, and collaboration on data collection and analysis on cycling projects. Focusing on these avenues can strengthen the science to decision-making pipeline. These lessons can also help improve bicycle planning in other communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built environment, cyclist behavior, and driver interactions can influence route choice and, ultimately, cyclist safety. Recent studies use crowdsourced data, such as Strava, to document route selection; however, aggregated data may not fully explain the factors underpinning route selection. Utilizing naturalistic methods, we analyze videos of recorded rides and GPS data from six cyclists representing three types of riders—commuters, recreational, and athletes—to explore route choices, behavior, and driver interactions in Tucson, Arizona. Our analysis of three route selection cases highlights how intersection design, driver interactions, pavement conditions, and type of riding lead cyclists to modify behaviors and select longer detours to avoid unsafe intersections. Additionally, our study combines Strava heatmaps and physical bicycle counts to explore the number of cyclists potentially facing similar factors influencing route choice. By studying cyclists with different riding aims and utilizing both Strava heatmaps and video recordings, researchers can determine the underlying conditions, identify route locations in need of improvements, and collaborate with practitioners to implement changes to increase cyclist safety through appropriate solutions. This analysis can help ensure that designs meet user expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme heat is the deadliest climate hazard in the United States. Climate change and the urban heat island effect are increasing the number of dangerously hot days in cities worldwide and the need for communities to plan for extreme heat. Existing literature on heat planning focuses on heat island mapping and modeling, whereas few studies delve into heat planning and governance processes. We surveyed planning professionals from diverse cities across the United States to establish critical baseline information for a growing area of planning practice and scholarship that future research can build on. Survey results show that planners are concerned with extreme heat risks, particularly environmental and public health impacts from climate change. Planners already report impacts from extreme heat, particularly to energy and water use, vegetation and wildlife, public health, and quality of life. Especially in affected communities, planners claim they address heat in plans and implement heat mitigation and management strategies such as urban forestry, emergency response, and weatherization, but perceive many barriers related to human and financial resources and political will. Planners are concerned about extreme heat, especially in the face of climate change. They are beginning to address heat through different strategies and plan types, but we see opportunities to better connect planners to existing heat information sources and leverage existing planning tools, including vegetation, land use regulations, and building codes, to mitigate risks. Although barriers to heat planning persist, including human and capital resources, planners are uniquely qualified to coordinate communities' efforts to address the rising threat of extreme heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]