FairRoute GNV

Inspiration

A resource being nearby does not mean someone can actually reach it. I wanted to build something that considers the real trip, including walking distance, transit, accessibility needs, and missing accessibility information.

What it does

FairRoute helps people find community resources they can realistically reach.

Users can search for services and adjust things like walking distance, travel time, step-free access, and mobility needs.

FairRoute also shows access gaps across Gainesville and lets planners test transportation improvements to see who benefits.

How we built it

I built the FairRoute prototype in Python with Streamlit.

It combines community resource data from the Florida Community Resource Map with Gainesville transit data and a custom routing engine.

For planning, I use PuLP to compare transportation investments based on overall access and fairness.

Gemini provides a natural language interface for accessibility, but the actual routing and planning calculations come from FairRoute's own tools.

Challenges we ran into

A location may be listed without enough information about its entrance, restroom, sidewalk access, or exact location. I did not want FairRoute to give people false confidence, so I have made disclaimers prominent for now.

I also had to make the same access model work for individual trips, citywide analysis, and transportation planning which was difficult.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I'm proud that I figured out how to integrate Gemini in a way that actually improves accessibility instead of just adding a chatbot.

Someone can describe what they need in normal language, and Gemini can connect that request to FairRoute's search, trip, access gap, and planning tools. The actual calculations still come from the routing engine, so the AI is not making up accessibility or transit information.

I'm also proud of how FairRoute handles accessibility itself. It can change results based on mobility needs and keeps missing accessibility information visible instead of treating unknown as accessible.

Finally, I'm proud that I was able to connect individual resource finding, citywide access gaps, and transportation planning into one working project.

What we learned

I realized how easy it is to take access for granted living on campus, where resources are everywhere. Looking at Gainesville more broadly showed me how much location and mobility can change what is actually available.

What's next for FairRoute GNV

Longer term, I would want to work with FCI and local organizations to make resource information more useful for people with different mobility needs.

Built With

• cbc
• css
• fci
• floridacommunityresourcemap
• gemini
• gtfs
• html
• javascript
• openstreetmap
• pandas
• pulp
• pydeck
• python
• solver
• streamlit