A brief overview of the importance of active transportation and its place in rural communities. This presentation is a class assignment for EDRD*6000 at the University of Guelph

1. Active TransportationBy Sacha Smart

2. Active Transportation
Definition:
• Non-motorized, human
powered means of
transportation (Litman, 2016)
Outline of Topics
I. Overview of Traditional
Transportation Methods
II. Benefits of Active
Transportation
III. Active Transportation in Rural
Communities
IV.Need for Qualitative or Mixed
Methods
V. Further Discussions
References

3. The Role of Active Transportation
• At its most basic, walking is a fundamental human activity. Walking
connects destinations and activities together.
• Public transit is dependent on walking, as it determines the functional
area of the transit service.
• Active Transportation reduces costs of congestion, parking, energy
and harmful pollution emissions (Litman, 2010).
• Having a community designed with active transportation in mind
improves the convenience and livability of the community (Litman,
2010).
Topic: I

4. Current Trends in
Transportation
• Canada and the USA both rank low on
their percentage of trips using active
transportation methods (Table 1 in
Litman, 2010 from Bassett, 2008).
• Countries with a higher rate of walking,
cycling, and taking forms of a public
transit, have predominately lower rates of
obesity (Table 2 in Bassett, 2008)
• Mode of transportation relies heavily on
the distance of travel. Common cycling
trips range are greater than 5km and less
than 30km.
• The use of public transit remains
predominately the same, but is
dependent on the distance travelled by
the individual to access public transit.
Table 1
Table 2
Topic: I

5. Benefits of
Active
Transportation
Health
• Improved public fitness and
higher opportunities to be
physically active (Simons, et al
2009 and Sallis et al, 2004)
Health
• Lower rates of chronic illness
(KiM Institute, 2016)
Automobile Savings
• Personal cost savings such as less
fuel consumption, parking costs,
and road fees (Litman, 2010)
Automobile Savings
• Vehicles are less affected
by depreciation
Automobile Savings
• Energy conservation and
pollution reduction (Chester
& Horvath, 2008)
Community
• Higher property values and
safer communities (Urban
Land Institute, 2016)
Estimated $0.58/km
to operate a car
compared to
$0.06/km to bicycle
(CAA, 2012)
Community
• Aspect of sustainable
development and trend
towards ”smart cities” (IBI
Group, 2018)
Community
• Increased community
cohesion and livability is
dependent on access to
public spaces (Litman, 2006)
Topic: II

6. Active
Transportation
in Rural
Communities
• Promoting active transportation is different than an urban environment or
city.
• Using active transportation as a way to commute may not be feasible,
but rural communities still enjoy the recreational aspects of cycling or
walking
• Rural Communities face the issue that transportation planning does not focus
or emphasize active transportation (Pont, 2009).
• Sidewalks and bike lanes may not be feasible in rural areas, but other
options such as wider paved shoulders can make cycling more accessible
and safer.
• Rural communities are developing trail systems. Often old and unused
railway corridors provide convenient connectivity between rural towns.
Public Health Guide for Rural Municipalities
(Caldwell, Kraehling, Kaptur, & Huff, 2015)
Haliburton Case Study
• Successful implementation of active transportation as a result of
community based research and needs assessments projects (Caldwell et
al, 2015).
• Studies were developed through contribution of land use planners and
designers, and members of collaborative (Tucs & Dempster, 2008). Grand River Rail Trail
Topic: III

7. The Need for Qualitative Approaches and
Community Engagement:
• By including members of the community in the conversation of developing cycling infrastructure,
safer and more sustainable networks can be built.
• This all begins with understanding the communities demands and the capacity to deliver by the
municipality. Using qualitative techniques like focus groups and semi-structure interviews, a more in-
depth picture can be formed, and there is more communication – and therefore more clarity –
between the two parties.
• Using tools such as Voyant, NVivo, or SameDiff from Databasics.io, interviews from the members
of community can be compared and common themes can be determined to better design an
efficient cycling network.
Topic: IV

8. Further Discussions
• How can active transportation be emphasized during the
planning process? (In both Urban and Rural settings)
• What some ways active transportation can be promoted in
your communities?
• What do you believe is the main barrier preventing citizens
from using active transportation networks?
Topic: V

9. References
• Pont, K., Ziviani, J., Wadley, D., Bennett, S., & Abbott, R. (2009). Environmental correlates of children’s
active transportation: A systematic literature review. Health and Place, 15(3), 827–840.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.02.002
• Chester, M. V., & Horvath, A. (2009). Environmental assessment of passenger transportation should
include infrastructure and supply chains. Environmental Research Letters, 4(2).
http://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/4/2/024008
• Urban Land Institute. (2016). Active Transportation and Real Estate. The Next Frontier.
• Canadian Automobile Association. (2012). Driving costs --- Beyond the price tag : Understanding your
vehicle expenses. Retrieved from http://www.caa.ca/docs/eng/CAA_Driving_Costs_English.pdf
• Sallis, J. F., Frank, L. D., Saelens, B. E., & Kraft, M. K. (2004). Active transportation and physical activity:
Opportunities for collaboration on transportation and public health research. Transportation Research
Part A: Policy and Practice, 38(4), 249–268. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2003.11.003
• CDC. (2010). State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, 2010 National Action Guide. Centers For Disease
Control And Prevention (CDC). Atlanta, GA. Retrieved from
www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity%5Cnhttp://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/PA_State_Indicator_
Report_2010_Action_Guide.pdf
• Dill, J., & Gliebe, J. (2008). Understanding and Measuring Bicycling Behavior: A Focus on Travel Time and
Route choice. Bicycling, (December), 1–74. http://doi.org/OTREC-RR-08-03
• Mahizhnan, A. (1999). Smart cities. Cities, 16(1), 13–18. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0264-2751(98)00050-X
• Caldwell, W. J., Kraehling, P., Kaptur, S., & Huff, J. (2015). Healthy Rural Communities Tool Kit A Guide for
Rural Municipalities 2 Healthy Rural Communities Tool Kit Healthy Rural Communities Locally Driven
Collaborative Project Team Members. University of Guelph, Ontario. Retrieved from
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/ServicesAndTools/Documents/LDCP/HealthyRuralCommunitiesT
oolKit compressed.pdf
• Litman, T. (2016). Evaluating Active Transport Benefits and Costs. Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 134–
140.
• Schaap, N., Harms, L., Kansen, M., & Wust, H. (2016). Cycling and Walking: the grease in our mobility
chain. Retrieved from http://english.kimnet.nl
• Directorate, E. A., Canada, T., Cost, F., Task, I., Committee, P. S., Responsible, D. M., & August, H. S.
(2008). Estimates of the Full Cost of Transportation in Canada.
• Litman, T. (2010). Quantifying the Benefits of Nonmotorized Transportation For Achieving Mobility
Management Objectives by. Transportation Research Record, 134–140.
• Bassett, D. R., Pucher, J., Buehler, R., Thompson, D. L., & Crouter, S. E. (2011). Active transportation and
obesity in Europe, North America, and Australia. ITE Journal (Institute of Transportation Engineers), 81(8),
24–28.
• Livey, J. (2016). 2016 CAPITAL BUDGET BRIEFING NOTE Transportation Services – Capital Funding for
Cycling Infrastructure. Toronto.
Pictures (Chronological Order)
• https://i2.wp.com/www.activebrockville.ca/wp
-content/uploads/2016/02/header1.jpg
• http://www.clker.com/cliparts/z/p/b/N/U/O/bi
cycle-logo.svg
• http://ieee.uwaterloo.ca/~praetzel/Ontario/10
0_0152.jpg
• http://www.qsrinternational.com/MediaLibrari
es/QSR/test-3/NVivo-logo.png?ext=.png
• http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/files/20
16/04/Screen-Shot-2016-04-21-at-10.41.51-
AM-680x218.png
• https://databasic.io/static/img/logos/sd%402x.
png