Spatial Accessibility Analysis Research Articles

What determines travel time and distance decay in spatial interaction and accessibility?

The concept of ‘distance decay’ curves is used in spatial interaction and accessibility analysis to represent the diminishing likelihood of visiting places with increasing travel impedance, mainly distance and travel time. The shape of the resulting impedance decay curves varies by several factors, but these influential factors are often dismissed in favor of just travel mode. In this study, we examine which factors should be used to distinguish impedance functions for use. Using data from a large national travel survey, we first show that the impedance curves are well approximated by functions of the exponential family and the related Tanner function. We use two methods – variable-wise function fit and Shapley additive explanations – to conclude the importance of four factors for developing impedance functions. These are travel mode, trip purpose, urbanity class of trip origin and destination, and the socioeconomic status grouping of the travelers. We then show that the use of a generalized impedance function can significantly over- or underestimate spatial accessibility compared to factor-specific impedance function, with up to 80 % overestimation on average in the case of public transit and 16 % overestimation for low socio-economic status travelers. These findings highlight the importance of the choice of impedance function which has applications in spatial economics, transportation planning, and human mobility analyses.

An Areal Approach to Spatial Accessibility Analysis

Place‐based spatial accessibility quantifies the distribution of access to goods and services across space. The Two‐Step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) family of methods have become a default tool for spatial accessibility analysis in part due to their intuitive approach and interpretability. This family of methods relies on calculating catchment areas around supply locations to estimate the area and population that may utilize them. However, these “catchment areas” are generally defined by origin‐destination matrices of travel‐time, giving us point‐to‐point distances and not polygons with actual area. This means that population geographies (census tracts, blocks, etc.) are binarily included or excluded, with no room for partial inclusion. When using nongranular data, which is often the case due to data privacy restrictions, this has the potential to cause significant errors in accessibility measurements. In this article, we propose Areal 2SFCA: a new approach that considers the area of overlap between travel‐time polygons and population geographies. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the Areal 2SFCA method using a case study that compares the Enhanced Two‐Step Floating Catchment Area (E2SFCA) and Areal E2SFCA for the state of Illinois in the USA using multiple population granularities.

Spatial accessibility and inequality analysis of rabies-exposed patients to rabies post-exposure prophylaxis clinics in Guangzhou City, China

BackgroundThe incidence of rabies exposure is high and increasing in China, leading to an urgent demand of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) clinics for the injured. However, the spatial accessibility and inequality of rabies-exposed patients to rabies PEP clinics is less known in China.MethodsBased on rabies exposure data, PEP clinic data, and resident travel origin-destination (OD) matrix data in Guangzhou City, China, we first described the incidence of rabies exposure in Guangzhou from 2020 to 2022. Then, the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method (2SFCA) was used to analyze the spatial accessibility of rabies-exposed patients to rabies PEP clinics in Guangzhou, and the Gini coefficient and Moran’s I statistics were utilized to evaluate the inequality and clustering of accessibility scores.ResultsFrom 2020 to 2022, a total of 524,160 cases of rabies exposure were reported in Guangzhou, and the incidence showed a significant increasing trend, with an average annual incidence of 932.0/100,000. Spatial accessibility analysis revealed that the overall spatial accessibility scores for three scenarios (threshold of driving duration [d0] = 30 min, 45 min, and 60 min) were 0.30 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.87), 0.28 (95% CI: 0.11, 0.53) and 0.28 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.44), respectively. Conghua, Huangpu, Zengcheng and Nansha districts had the higher accessibility scores, while Haizhu, Liwan, and Yuexiu districts exhibited lower spatial accessibility scores. The Gini coefficient and Moran’s I statistics showed that there were certain inequality and clustering in the accessibility to rabies PEP clinics in Guangzhou.ConclusionsThis study clarifies the heterogeneity of spatial accessibility to rabies PEP clinics, and provide valuable insights for resource allocation to achieve the WHO target of zero human dog-mediated rabies deaths by 2030.

Elevating the RRE Framework for Geospatial Analysis with Visual Programming Platforms: An Exploration with Geospatial Analytics Extension for KNIME

Reproducibility, replicability, and expandability (RRE) have emerged as fundamental concerns in the realm of scientific research and development. Wherein, devising effective solutions for RRE within geospatial analysis stands out as a particularly critical challenge that demands immediate attention. Although there has been an evolution from basic reproducibility of code and data to a more comprehensive cyberinfrastructure, this integrated solution is still grappling with issues of limited user accessibility, steep learning curves particularly in coding skills, and difficulties in achieving collaboration with other data science platforms This study proposes a framework that combines open-source GIS with visual programming platforms, grounded in principles of standardization and educationalization, to advance the RRE framework in geographic analysis. Using the Geospatial Analytics Extension for KNIME as an example, we demonstrate the platform’s adaptability and utility through case studies in a recent textbook with an in-depth illustration of spatial accessibility analysis, specifically via the Generalized Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (G2SFCA) method. Our findings shed light on the transformative potential of such an integrative strategy, offer fresh perspectives for enhancing the RRE in geospatial analysis and craft a well-structured, intuitive, and extensive GIS knowledge tree.

Earthquake scenario-specific framework for spatial accessibility analysis (SAA) of emergency shelters: a case study in Xichang City, Sichuan Province, China

The spatial accessibility of emergency shelters, indicating the difficulty of evacuation and rescue, is crucial for disaster mitigation and emergency management. To analyze accessibility, an effective approach is to evaluate the service capacity of emergency shelters. Multifaceted factors were employed to enhance the quantitative accuracy of accessibility indicators. However, scenario-specific analysis has not been emphasized. Considering the devastating potential of great earthquake disasters, we cannot ignore the impact of these scenarios on emergency shelter accessibility, especially in areas with high seismic risk. In this study, we developed an earthquake scenario-specific framework for spatial accessibility analysis (SAA), which integrates the service capacity of emergency shelters and the impact of strong ground motion and fault rupturing. We applied this framework to the urban area of Xichang City in Sichuan Province, western China. Xichang City, located in the linked area of the Anninghe fault and Zemuhe fault with many extreme historical earthquake disaster records, is prone to high seismic risk. We firstly collected emergency shelter and road network data in Xichang City. We then applied SAA based on the road network, using the network analysis method. After that, we analyzed the impact of strong ground motion on accessibility and generated the setback zone of fault rupturing. We integrated the effect of strong ground motion on accessibility within the setback zone of active faults. Finally, we generated a comprehensive accessibility map, considering both the predicted strong ground motion and potential fault rupturing. Our results show that the accessibility level changed in several towns of urban Xichang City due to strong ground motion and fault rupturing. The accessibility level decreased in Lizhou, Xingsheng, and Anning Towns. For areas with mapped fault lines, the accessibility level is Very-Low. Our results demonstrate the impact of earthquake damage on the accessibility of emergency shelters and the complexity of evacuation in earthquake scenarios. In general, we added earthquake rupturing and ground motion characteristics into the SAA framework. This framework will help us enhance the reliability of SAA and the feasibility of seismic vulnerability evaluation.

The first mile towards access equity: Is on-demand microtransit a valuable addition to the transportation mix in suburban communities?

As cities grow, the benefits of living in them are increasingly unequally distributed. USA cities, in particular, have experienced rapid suburbanization of poverty and decreased levels of access to jobs for transit-dependent and vulnerable communities. The public transit challenges in suburbs call for innovative forms of transit to turn the tide on urban inequality. On-demand microtransit, a novel type of shared mobility provides efficient, convenient and affordable transportation. Its potential for redressing inequity had yet to be investigated fully in a suburban setting. We presented a case study from the suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul in Minnesota, USA. We combined unique datasets of microtransit ridership from two public transit agencies, transit surveys, land use data, and expert interviews, to conduct spatial analysis, accessibility analysis, and equity impact assessments for these suburbs. We found that microtransit enables public transit agencies to reach a larger number of vulnerable riders than fixed-route transit, particularly for commuting and trips to/from commercial areas. Microtransit also provided a cheaper alternative to ride-hailing and a faster alternative to public transit and walking, without cannibalizing ridership from fixed-rout transit alternatives. Finally, microtransit redressed transportation inequities by alleviating access inequality, reaching vulnerable rider groups effectively, and creating travel opportunities that are less spatially concentrated than those provided by traditional, fixed-route public transit. This study provided a framework for further investigations into the impact of microtransit, including in urban core or rural settings, and highlighted the impact of microtransit in reducing access inequity in a suburban environment.

Enhancing Health Care Accessibility and Equity Through a Geoprocessing Toolbox for Spatial Accessibility Analysis: Development and Case Study.

Access to health care services is a critical determinant of population health and well-being. Measuring spatial accessibility to health services is essential for understanding health care distribution and addressing potential inequities. In this study, we developed a geoprocessing toolbox including Python script tools for the ArcGIS Pro environment to measure the spatial accessibility of health services using both classic and enhanced versions of the 2-step floating catchment area method. Each of our tools incorporated both distance buffers and travel time catchments to calculate accessibility scores based on users' choices. Additionally, we developed a separate tool to create travel time catchments that is compatible with both locally available network data sets and ArcGIS Online data sources. We conducted a case study focusing on the accessibility of hemodialysis services in the state of Tennessee using the 4 versions of the accessibility tools. Notably, the calculation of the target population considered age as a significant nonspatial factor influencing hemodialysis service accessibility. Weighted populations were calculated using end-stage renal disease incidence rates in different age groups. The implemented tools are made accessible through ArcGIS Online for free use by the research community. The case study revealed disparities in the accessibility of hemodialysis services, with urban areas demonstrating higher scores compared to rural and suburban regions. These geoprocessing tools can serve as valuable decision-support resources for health care providers, organizations, and policy makers to improve equitable access to health care services. This comprehensive approach to measuring spatial accessibility can empower health care stakeholders to address health care distribution challenges effectively.

Horizontal and vertical inequity of multi-modal healthcare accessibility in the aging Japan in the post-COVID era: a GIS-based approach

ABSTRACT Evaluating the inequity of healthcare accessibility across demographic groups in the post-COVID era is of critical importance for an aging society like Japan – it helps to achieve better social equity via distributing healthcare resources in health planning and policy making. Our study contributes to the first post-covid evaluation of multi-modal healthcare accessibility in Tokyo, Japan, the most populated metropolis in the world. A further novelty goes to the multi-dimensional examination of the inequity of healthcare accessibility (i.e. hospitals) by public transit, driving and walking – the horizontal inequity across urban space and the vertical inequity across three demographic groups (the young, adult and elderly) through network analysis, spatial accessibility analysis and inequity indexing. We find that low healthcare access areas mainly appear in the peri-urban space as well as regions less covered by public transit. Compared to the adult group, the elderly group experiences significant inequity of healthcare access particularly in the peri-urban areas where driving is the dominant transport mode to access healthcare facilities. We provide timely evidence to the Japanese government and health authorities to have a holistic and latest understanding of multi-modal healthcare access across different demographic groups in the post-COVID era.

Spatial Distribution and Accessibility Analysis of Primary School Facilities in Mega Cities: A Case Study of Chengdu

High-quality and equitable primary education services promote the building of a harmonious socialist society and are an important basis for improving people’s quality of life and promoting high-quality and sustainable regional development. Here, we take Chengdu City as a test area, integrate data from multiple sources, use the random forest model to simulate the distribution data of primary school-age children in Chengdu City in 2020, and use the kernel density estimation method and the multi-traffic mode two-stage floating catchment area method to measure the spatial distribution characteristics and accessibility of primary school educational facilities in Chengdu City and combine the imbalance index and spatial autocorrelation analysis, examination of the equalization of the distribution of primary school educational facilities, and the correlation between school-age population and accessibility. The results show that in the past decade, the population of Chengdu has grown rapidly, and the number of primary school-age children has also been increasing. The overall distribution of primary school-age children in Chengdu presents a decentralized pattern of “one point with multiple cores”, with the population decreasing from the center to the periphery, and the population distribution dominates the spatial distribution of primary school facilities, which also highlights the imbalance in the construction of primary school facilities to some extent (S = 0.257), which was mainly manifested by the fact that the central-eastern part of the city has more primary school facilities, while the western part has fewer. In addition, the results of both accessibility and autocorrelation analyses show that the overall accessibility of the central circle of Chengdu was high, while the accessibility of the second and third circles was at a lower level and below, with very obvious cross-regional and cross-circle differences. This study can not only provide more accurate recommendations for the allocation of educational facilities but also serve as a reference for evaluating the spatial equity of other public services in the city.

Close to home: Family-centered spatial analysis of access to early care and education

This study addresses the issue of equitable access to early care and education (ECE) taking the state of Hawaiʻi as an example. We used spatially-based measures of demand-adjusted slots, cost burden relative to family income, and quality that quantified the supply of ECE services within a five-mile drive, a ten-mile drive, and a 30-min public transit commute from a family's home. Multivariate spatial modeling techniques were used to predict ECE access at the community level, with median income, county of location, population density, and community ethnic composition as predictors. Results revealed some disparities, such as better slot capacity in areas that were densely populated or had a high share of persons of East Asian heritage. We also found promising results relating to slots and quality in low-income communities. The strategic location of Head Start, public preK, and classrooms sponsored by a local philanthropy created conditions where some low-income communities had very favorable access to ECE slots and high-quality programs, relative to the state overall. The spatial methods used in this study are flexible and can be adapted to answer any number of questions about access to community resources for young children and families at different levels of geographic granularity.

A spatial analysis of intra-regional transport accessibility using the GIS network analysis: the case of Anabar and Nizhnekolymsky districts)

A spatial analysis of intra-regional transport accessibility of settlements in the Arctic districts of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) by GIS is an urgent task and can become a necessary support for the processes of decision-making and planning of sustainable development of these territories. The purpose of the study is to perform a spatial analysis of intra– regional transport accessibility of settlements in remote Arctic regions of Yakutia on the example of Anabarsky and Nizhnekolymsky districts. On the basis of the GIS network analysis and calculated coefficients of density of the transport network, the assessment of transport accessibility of the study areas according to winter and summer scenarios was carried out. The automobile and river networks were built on the basis of data from open cartographic sources: OpenStreetMaps and Google Earth Engine, the atlas of highways of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). On the basis of satellite images of Landsat 5, 8 and Sentinel 2, non-official (informal) roads that play an important role in communications between settlements were decrypted and digitized. QGIS and ArcGIS programs were used to perform network analysis and build a map of time availability of the settlements using isochronous method. The created maps clearly show the availability of settlements by time interval. The conducted research made it possible to determine that remote sensing and geoinformation systems are key tools for a spatial analysis of transport infrastructure. Using this tools, it is possible to conduct network analysis of various levels of complexity, as well as build graphs of the transport network, greatly simplifying the counting procedure. The paper tested a method that allows to identify unofficial roads in the Arctic, and the presented methods of GIS analysis and modeling that can be used for further deeper network analytics and graph theory to improve the methodology for studying the transport accessibility of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Multiscale Analysis of Spatial Accessibility to Acute Hospitals in Carinthia, Austria

Health care accessibility studies are well established in the US but lacking in Austria, even though both experience high costs and have hospital care as the largest contributor to health care spending. This study aims to examine multiscale spatial accessibility to acute hospitals in Carinthia, Austria. Using the most recent data at census block and 250 meter grid levels, we refine proximity and generalized two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) methods while accounting for the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) and edge effects. For census blocks and 250 meter grids, the mean travel times to the nearest acute hospitals are 16 and 21 min, respectively, covering 58.8% and 76.2% of the population, which, however, increases to 25 and 31 min to the three nearest hospitals with similar populations. People bypassing the nearest hospital to seek hospitals at a longer distance, termed “bypass behavior”, is more influential, as 20% more of the population living in mountainous or rural areas need to travel 30 min longer. The G2SFCA method with a more pronounced distance decay results in a more decentralized polycentric structure of accessibility and identifies poorer access areas. While urban advantage is most evident in Klagenfurt and Villach, not all areas near hospitals enjoy the highest accessibility. A combination of the proximity and G2SFCA methods identifies less accessible areas. The MAUP overestimates accessibility at a coarse level and in less populous areas. Edge effects occur at the border when using proximity only, but they are more sensitive when considering bypass behavior or a weak distance decay effect. This study contributes to our understanding of acute hospitals’ accessibility in Carinthia and highlights the need to improve low-accessible areas in addition to universal health coverage. Cautions need to be exercised when using different geographic units or considering edge effects for health care planning and management.

Hide Your Distance: Privacy Risks and Protection in Spatial Accessibility Analysis.

Measuring spatial accessibility to healthcare resources and facilities has long been an important problem in public health. For example, during disease outbreaks, sharing spatial accessibility data such as individual travel distances to health facilities is vital to policy making and designing effective interventions. However, sharing these data may raise privacy concerns, as information about individual data contributors (e.g., health status and residential address) may be disclosed. In this work, we investigate those unintended information leakage in spatial accessibility analysis. Specifically, we are interested in understanding whether sharing data for spatial accessibility computations may disclose individual participation (i.e., membership inference) and personal identifiable information (i.e., address inference). Furthermore, we propose two provably private algorithms that mitigate those privacy risks. The evaluation is conducted with real population and healthcare facilities data from Mecklenburg county, NC and Nashville, TN. Compared to state-of-the-art privacy practices, our methods effectively reduce the risks of membership and address disclosure, while providing useful data for spatial accessibility analysis.

Spatial Accessibility Analysis and Optimization Simulation of Urban Riverfront Space Based on Space Syntax and POIs: A Case Study of Songxi County, China

Optimizing accessibility to urban riverfront spaces plays a pivotal role in enhancing the spatial vitality of urban regions and promoting the high-quality development of such areas. The degree of riverfront space accessibility can be assessed through the connectivity of urban roads, which directly impacts the spatial vitality of these areas. This study constructs an axial and segmental model of the urban road network based on the space syntax theory. Through the Geographic Information System (GIS), kernel density analysis is performed on the Points of Interest (POI) and Depthmap data of Songxi County to comprehensively examine the reasonableness of the segmental network model and its visual representation. Quantitative evaluation of the accessibility of riverfront space in Songxi County from three dimensions, namely topological accessibility, geometrical accessibility, and perceptual accessibility, is conducted. The results show that (1) the accessibility of high-value area of riverfront space in Songxi County’s central city exhibits an unbalanced distribution, with a concentration in the central area. (2) A certain degree of mismatch exists between the distribution area of high accessibility in urban space and that of the waterfront space, highlighting the need for improved traffic planning in the riverfront area. (3) Weak spatial connections are shown between the north and south riverfronts, with areas of high accessibility values showing a clear break at the riverbank. Based on the results of the quantitative analysis, the proposed approach involves optimizing the spatial layout of urban roads and riverfront spaces through several key strategies. These strategies encompass enhancing the layout of the transport network, strengthening the coupling links between the two sides of the river, enriching the functions of the riverfront space, and conducting simulations to test the feasibility of these measures. The simulation results revealed a noteworthy enhancement in the integration and choice value of urban roads and riverfront spaces. Therefore, the optimization strategy employed in this study significantly improved the connectivity and accessibility of the overall transport network, leading to a more balanced distribution of high accessibility value areas within the city and riverfront space. This paper centers on the interaction between individuals and the river, to enhance the restoration of riverfront vitality. As a result, it is anticipated to provide valuable insights into the sustainable development of riverfront spaces.

Analysis of Çanakkale City Center Active Green Area Potential in GIS Platform

While cities are facing challenges such as uncontrolled growth, population growth, and climate change, environment and human-friendly solutions are sought to create more livable urban areas. Green areas in cities play an important role in improving the quality of life quality of life for residents and reducing the risks of the disasters. Urban green area planning is a holistic and strategic process in which qualitative and quantitative factors should be considered in detail. This study focuses on determining the qualities and potentials of urban green areas in the city center of Çanakkale province in western Turkey and determining the amount of green area per capita, which is one of the quantitative factors. In addition, the study also aims to draw conclusions about the distribution and accessibility of urban green areas. Determining the amount, accesibility and distribution of active green areas, which are intensively used by urban dwellers for recreational purposes and are the determinants of the presence of green area in the city, is important in terms of forming the basis for strategies that improve urban quality of life. In this study, the active green areas in various urban landscapes were determined by utilizing high spatial resolution satellite remote sensing images and the spatial distribution and accessibility analysis were performed in a geographic information systems (GIS) platform. The findings of this study provide a basis for the development of local green area strategies and contribute to the current discourse on livable and sustainable urban development.

COVID-19 Interventions in an informal settlement: A spatial analysis of accessibility in Kibera, Kenya

This paper introduces a methodology to explore pedestrian accessibility in informal settlements. This methodology is applied to pandemic intervention sites in Nairobi's Kibera area for 3.5 months (14 April to 31 July 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Freely available transportation network data and open-source GIS software are utilised. Isochrones, areas of equal travel time, are calculated to assess pedestrian accessibility (walk times) from 30,231 Kibera structures to 138 COVID-19 stationary intervention sites. These sites aid in virus control, resource distribution, and COVID-related medical support. Travel times are determined considering different terrain slopes. Unequal access to intervention sites is observed due to indirect routes. Shortest walks (up to 21.5 min) are to handwashing and food distribution points, while longer walks (up to 61.5 min) are to interventions with fewer sites or localised clustering, such as baby product distribution. This simple accessibility analysis helps identify service gaps during crises, aiding planning authorities and communities. Our methodology offers insight into travel patterns in slums and has wider applicability to assess the relationships between transport infrastructure provision and resilience in informal settlements.

Perceived and geographic access to urban green spaces in New York City during COVID-19

In New York City (NYC), the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 induced a significant shift in the use and accessibility of urban green spaces (UGS). To understand the impact of COVID-19 on the access to UGS, we conducted a spatial analysis of geographic access to UGS and perceived access based on data collected from a social survey deployed from May 13 to June 15, 2020. We examine geographical accessibility to UGS and how this compares to perceived accessibility, or the ease which residents feel they can access a UGS. We further explored the correlation between spatial access to UGS and fifteen social vulnerability variables including economic status, household composition, minority status, and housing type for different zip codes. The results show that geographical proximity variables can predict a number of the perceived access variables, particularly those related to COVID-19 measures. Although lower-income communities were found to have higher spatial access to UGS, many of the same communities, including people living in crowded and multi-unit buildings, on average only have access to smaller green spaces, suggesting an uneven distribution of larger quality parks. This observation is further confirmed by survey results. These findings have implications for policies surrounding the distribution of UGS and whether equitable access is provided to NYC residents, with implications for similar patterns that may exist in other cities.

Bibliometric Analysis of Spatial Accessibility from 1999–2022

Spatial accessibility is an essential manifestation of social equity and spatial planning. However, when examining spatial accessibility, systematic review studies dominate the literature, with fewer studies employing evaluative and relational bibliometric approaches. Thus, to provide a comprehensive overview of spatial accessibility research from 1999 to 2022, the works of literature referenced and analyzed by the Web of Science during 1999–2022 were analyzed: bibliometrics and scientific mapping methods using R software, the biblioshiny web program, tidyverse (ggplot2), and VOSviewer. The analysis results indicate a significant increase in the number of research papers addressing spatial accessibility throughout the research period accompanied by a continuous expansion of the research area. Collaboration and research endeavors among countries in this domain have deepened, leading to a continual improvement in the quality of papers. In addition, influential journals, authors, and articles in the field of spatial accessibility were also counted. New data, methods, and technology will become substantially more critical in accessibility research.

Spatial Analysis of Territorial Connectivity and Accessibility in the Province of Coclé in Panama

The province of Coclé is in the central zone of the Republic of Panama but lacks development of the road network. In order to assess the spatial analysis of territorial accessibility and connectivity, the methodology of this study was divided into three stages: determination of the working scenario, data acquisition, and spatial analyses. The data acquisition includes the GIS development and the field work for GIS validation. Within the province of Coclé, 19.55% of the population lives more than 500 m away from the nearest paved road, with the distance of the town farthest away from the nearest paved road being 36 km, which leads to different levels of accessibility and connectivity in this province. This study of the spatial analysis of connectivity and territorial accessibility sheds light on how the expansion of the road network affects access to health services and education.

Spatial Accessibility Analysis of Emergency Shelters with a Consideration of Sea Level Rise in Northwest Florida

Hurricane-induced storm surge and flooding often lead to the closures of evacuation routes, which can be disruptive for the victims trying to leave the impacted region. This problem becomes even more challenging when we consider the impact of sea level rise that happens due to global warming and other climate-related factors. As such, hurricane-induced storm surge elevations would increase nonlinearly when sea level rise lifts, flooding access to highways and bridge entrances, thereby reducing accessibility for affected census block groups to evacuate to hurricane shelters during hurricane landfall. This happened with the Category 5 Hurricane Michael which swept the east coast of Northwest Florida with long-lasting damage and impact on local communities and infrastructure. In this paper, we propose an integrated methodology that utilizes both sea level rise (SLR) scenario-informed storm surge simulations and floating catchment area models built in Geographical Information Systems (GIS). First, we set up sea level rise scenarios of 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 m with a focus on Hurricane Michael’s impact that led to the development of storm surge models. Second, these storm surge simulation outputs are fed into ArcGIS and floating catchment area-based scenarios are created to study the accessibility of shelters. Findings indicate that rural areas lost accessibility faster than urban areas due to a variety of factors including shelter distributions, and roadway closures as spatial accessibility to shelters for offshore populations was rapidly diminishing. We also observed that as inundation level increases, urban census block groups that are closer to the shelters get extremely high accessibility scores through FCA calculations compared to the other block groups. Results of this study could guide and help revise existing strategies for designing emergency response plans and update resilience action policies.