Active travel, encompassing walking and cycling, has emerged as a vital component in pursuing sustainable, healthy, and efficient urban transportation systems. This thesis comprises two interrelated studies that collectively contribute to a comprehensive understanding of active travel behavior and its analysis within the Canadian context. At the first step, we focused on the data prerequisites and sources required for active accessibility analysis, systematically evaluates geographic accessibility measures and data specificity essential to assessing walking and cycling in the Canadian urban landscape. As accessibility increasingly takes center stage in urban transportation policies, it becomes imperative to understand the unique data requirements and methodological considerations for these non-motorized modes. In the subsequent phase of our research, we extensively analyzed active travel behavior trends in Canada, spanning three decades from 1986 to 2015. This study uses data from Canada’s General Social Survey to examine individual preferences and behaviors related to walking and cycling. The focus is mainly on understanding how these behaviors vary according to different trip purposes and geographical contexts. Our approach involved the calibration of empirical impedance functions to gain insights into the willingness of individuals to travel to various destinations using active modes of transportation. This aspect of the study is crucial in quantifying the time individuals are willing to allocate to walk and cycle to reach their destinations. The investigation notably provides a historical perspective on the evolution of active mobility over the past 35 years. This historical analysis is pivotal in unraveling the changes in active travel behavior, influenced by factors such as urban development trends, societal attitudes towards health and environmental sustainability, and modifications in transportation infrastructure and policy frameworks. Our findings reveal significant and consistent disparities in trip durations between walking and cycling modes, accompanied by intriguing temporal variations over the years. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / Active travel, encompassing walking and cycling, is pivotal in fostering sustainable and healthy urban transportation systems. This thesis comprises two interconnected studies comprehensively addressing the complexities and imperatives of active travel analysis within the Canadian context. The first chapter evaluates geographic accessibility measures and data specifics necessary for assessing these modes in the Canadian context, shifting the focus to data prerequisites and sources critical for active accessibility analysis. This comprehensive analysis compares metrics, origin-destination considerations, geographic scales, and methods for calculating travel time and distance for walking and cycling. Beyond its relevance in Canada, this examination yields broader insights into the challenges and considerations associated with active travel accessibility analysis worldwide. The second chapter embarks on a journey through three decades of active travel behavior in Canada. Utilizing data from Canada’s General Social Survey, this research calibrates empirical impedance functions to elucidate individuals’ willingness to undertake trips to various destinations by walking and cycling. The study not only reveals evolving patterns in active mobility but also offers valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers seeking to elevate walking and cycling as essential components of urban transportation in Canada. These integrated studies contribute significantly to the ongoing discourse on active travel and accessibility, emphasizing the need for a transition from mobility-centric to accessibility-focused urban transportation policies. This transition holds the key to creating more sustainable, vibrant, and healthier cities for the future.

Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / Tucson is a reflection of the inefficient transportation system of the United States. The city’s auto centric emphasis is resulting in a collection of unhealthy citizens, endlessly investing into constructing unaccommodating infrastructure and contributes to the degradation of the natural environment. In order to correct these issues facing Tucson, the city must encourage more active transportation. By using case studies of other American cities- Portland, Minneapolis, and Austin- Tucson can learn some strategies that have been successful. Portland, Minneapolis and Austin have all effectively created active transportation systems utilizing various techniques. Creating a safe built environment, constructing a connected network and introducing equity amongst all forms of transportation can encourage more participation of active transportation in Tucson. By adopting the strategies used by Portland, Minneapolis and Austin, Tucson can produce a successful active transportation system and furthermore, create a healthier population, an efficient economy, and reduce the degrading environmental behavior that all exist today.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore bicycle use and attitudes towards cycling through case study analyses in Halifax Regional Municipality and the Region of Waterloo. There are two main sections of analyses; the first investigates factors that have been shown by previous research to be associated with cycling behavior for each of the study areas, and the second focuses on the results of a bicycle survey administered for the purpose of this research. The statistical analysis in Part 1 applies Fisher’s Exact Test to reveal statistically significant associations in the survey data. These two sections of analysis are compared and the following conclusions offered: 1. Cycling use is likely associated with city size, density, weather, topography, age, and gender. 2. Cycling trip purpose in Halifax is associated with weather; in Waterloo, trip purpose is associated with weather, gender, and employment. 3. Cycling use in Waterloo is associated with weather, age, gender, employment, and income. 4. There is strong evidence that the provision of bicycle infrastructure has a strong association with bicycle use. In the context of increasing bicycle use, the principal finding is the association between the provision of bicycle infrastructure and increased cycling use. In Waterloo, where the rate of cycling use is higher than in Halifax, there is approximately twice the total number of kilometres of on-street bicycle routes and respondents reported living significantly closer to bike paths, lanes, or trails. In Halifax, where cycling use is less common, respondents expressed much more concern regarding inadequate cycling infrastructure and an overall dissatisfaction with the quality of cycling facilities. These findings reaffirm the previous research suggesting that the provision of more bicycle lanes, paths, route signage, and parking facilities is associated with higher rates of bicycle use among the general public.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore bicycle use and attitudes towards cycling through case study analyses in Halifax Regional Municipality and the Region of Waterloo. There are two main sections of analyses; the first investigates factors that have been shown by previous research to be associated with cycling behavior for each of the study areas, and the second focuses on the results of a bicycle survey administered for the purpose of this research. The statistical analysis in Part 1 applies Fisher’s Exact Test to reveal statistically significant associations in the survey data. These two sections of analysis are compared and the following conclusions offered: 1. Cycling use is likely associated with city size, density, weather, topography, age, and gender. 2. Cycling trip purpose in Halifax is associated with weather; in Waterloo, trip purpose is associated with weather, gender, and employment. 3. Cycling use in Waterloo is associated with weather, age, gender, employment, and income. 4. There is strong evidence that the provision of bicycle infrastructure has a strong association with bicycle use. In the context of increasing bicycle use, the principal finding is the association between the provision of bicycle infrastructure and increased cycling use. In Waterloo, where the rate of cycling use is higher than in Halifax, there is approximately twice the total number of kilometres of on-street bicycle routes and respondents reported living significantly closer to bike paths, lanes, or trails. In Halifax, where cycling use is less common, respondents expressed much more concern regarding inadequate cycling infrastructure and an overall dissatisfaction with the quality of cycling facilities. These findings reaffirm the previous research suggesting that the provision of more bicycle lanes, paths, route signage, and parking facilities is associated with higher rates of bicycle use among the general public.

BACKGROUND: Active transportation, such as using a bicycle to get one from one place to another, has definite benefits over driving or some other form of travel that requires less exertion; the most obvious of these is that it helps a person meet the daily recommendations for physical activity. College campuses tend to have higher rates of bicycle-commuters than non-campus environments, although Georgia State University faces unique barriers to bicycling due to its downtown location. In 2009, a cross-sectional study was conducted to assess bicycling attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors. In the two years that followed, a faculty-student collaborative known as GSU Bikes implemented efforts to try to increase bicycling on campus. Campus bicycle count data between the two years showed positive increases. In 2011, the study was repeated to examine if bicycling attitudes, knowledge, and behavior had changed since 2009. METHODS: 211 Georgia State University undergraduate and graduate students were surveyed in Fall 2011. The data they provided were then analyzed and compared to the 2009 bicycle data using independent-samples t­-tests and a chi-square analysis to identify significant differences between the two data sets. RESULTS: Few significant differences between the two sets of data were identified. Participants in 2011 had significantly higher agreement that they could locate information regarding bicycle safety and repairs, as well as reported a significantly greater likelihood of bicycling to campus if educational programs to, from, and around the GSU campus were implemented. Written feedback suggested that fear of collisions was still a major barrier; many students suggested a campus bicycle-share program and more information disseminated to students about bicycling to campus. DISCUSSION: The results from this study demonstrate that efforts aimed at encouraging students to bicycle to campus, between the 2009 and 2011 data collections, may not have been as effective as they were intended. Bicycle promotion that reaches a greater number of Georgia State University students is suggested. Because of the method of data sampling in this study, the data analyzed may not be truly representative of the Georgia State University population. In the future, an improved survey that is disseminated electronically may result in a larger sample size, increasing statistical validity and ability to generalize findings.

Amongst transportation professionals there is a motivation to increase the use of active transportation to achieve contemporary transportation engineering goals. This research describes a year-long GPS cycling study conducted in partnership by the University of Waterloo and the Region of Waterloo Ontario. Data were collected from 415 self-selected cyclists, using two distinct data collection mechanisms. Data collected from GPS units revealed trip origins, destinations, and routes; the data also contain time stamps from which travel speeds can be computed. An online survey was administered to gather cyclists’ socio-economic information and household composition. The survey also collected responses to questions regarding preferences for cycling infrastructure and overall satisfaction. The trip data allow for several important conclusions. The average trip length observed in the study was 6.96 kilometers; utilitarian trips (i.e. non-recreational) constitute 92% of the observed trips. This suggests that cyclists are able to complete daily activities – commuting, shopping, etc. – with less overall travel than the general population. The trip data also suggests relationships between the propensity to cycle and land use patterns. Strong positive correlations are demonstrated between higher land use density and the number of cycling trips; moreover, cycling trips tend to be more direct in areas with traditional neighbourhood design. The time at which the trips were taken – predominantly the am or pm peaks – suggest that the cyclists’ mode choice results in lowering peak demand and, therefore, reducing regional congestion. Fewer and typically shorter cycling trips were observed during winter months, presumably as a result of less favorable climate. Participants in the study are typically higher-than-average earners and mirror the overall regional age distribution, although seniors and children were underrepresented. The cyclists in the study are predominantly male which may reflect an overall higher propensity to cycle amongst men compared to women. Cyclists’ households are more likely than the general population to own fewer cars than licensed drivers which may be interpreted as a cost saving opportunities for these households. Finally, the survey data suggests that the single largest impediment to increased cycling is a perception of poor safety for cyclists, particularly in terms of interactions with automobiles.

Background: Active transportation refers to methods of travel that involve physical activity, such as walking and bicycling. For students, characteristics of both individual and contextual environments are likely associated with active transportation to school. Furthermore, injury is one possible but overlooked outcome of active transportation to school. Objectives: To examine among urban Canadian youth in grades 6-10: 1) associations between individual- and area-level factors and active transportation to school and 2) the relationship between active transportation to school and active transportation injury. Methods: Individual-level data were obtained from the 2009/2010 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey. Active transportation to school was measured via student’s report of their usual method of travel to school. Active transportation injury was assessed via self-report for a one-year recall period. Area-level data were obtained from a school administrators’ survey and from various geographical sources. Multi-level logistic regression was used to examine the associations of interest. Results: Multiple correlates of active transportation to school were identified from the individual/family, school, and neighbourhood. Correlates possessing a potential for intervention and a relatively high population impact were identified: gender (female: relative risk, RR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.80-0.91, population attributable risk, PAR: 7.1%), perception of neighbourhood safety (disagree vs. strongly agree: RR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.70-0.95, PAR: 2.3%), percentage of roads with sidewalks (quartile 3 vs. quartile 1: RR=1.17, 95% CI: 0.96-1.34, PAR: 9.5%), and the total length of streets (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: RR=1.23, 95% CI: 1.00-1.42, PAR: 6.9%). A positive association between active transportation to school and active transportation injury was identified; the risk for injury increased as walking or bicycling increased (short distance: OR=1.17, 95% CI: 0.92-1.50; long distance: OR=1.56, 95% CI: 1.10-2.21). Conclusions: Many factors are associated with active transportation to school. While active transportation is associated with the potential for improved health, it also likely increases the risk for active transportation injuries. Interventions to increase active transportation to school should also consider potential negative outcomes. Future studies in this research area could focus on qualitative measures of the environment and school programs, in addition to the etiology of injuries experienced during school travel. / Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-12 15:11:48.409

While outdoor recreation resources may be developed as infrastructure to benefit the tourist economy, through community-based planning efforts such developments can achieve a wider range of community benefits. This research project examines the role of outdoor recreation development in urban and regional planning strategies enabling a deeper understanding about how these amenities can enhance our communities and make them more resilient, diverse, and healthy. Stakeholder interviews and user surveys focusing on the implications of the ongoing development of the City of Revelstoke BC bicycle network were conducted to further inform this study. The Integral framework adopted in the analysis proved to be valuable for the inclusion of a broad range of perspectives. Nine recommendations are identified with relevance for the planning profession, suggesting that outdoor recreation can play a significant role in community building, enhancing social equity, and providing a means of urban enhancement. The research findings indicate that collaborative partnerships are vital to the planning process towards creating valued outdoor recreation amenities that align with local community perceptions, while creating a unique community-based experience attractive to tourists.

The practicum project addresses the ongoing relationship between interior space and the urban environment. Despite a common perception of the interior and the exterior as being distinct and separate, a study of these spaces reflects a similar spatial continuum to the one that exists between public and private space. These realms are linked to each other spatially and socially. Through the development of an active transportation hub in Winnipeg, the project seeks to explore the potential of interior design to influence the wider urban environment. Placemaking and scale linking will be used to create places of meaning and identity in a mobile environment. The hub will create a place for sustainable transportation, community connection and improved quality of life for the people of Winnipeg. In this way, interiors can have a direct impact on the dynamics of the city.

The practicum project addresses the ongoing relationship between interior space and the urban environment. Despite a common perception of the interior and the exterior as being distinct and separate, a study of these spaces reflects a similar spatial continuum to the one that exists between public and private space. These realms are linked to each other spatially and socially. Through the development of an active transportation hub in Winnipeg, the project seeks to explore the potential of interior design to influence the wider urban environment. Placemaking and scale linking will be used to create places of meaning and identity in a mobile environment. The hub will create a place for sustainable transportation, community connection and improved quality of life for the people of Winnipeg. In this way, interiors can have a direct impact on the dynamics of the city.