Contributions on the following topics will be particularly welcome, but are not limited to:
• Conceptual, theoretical, or empirical research
• The effects of strategies, policies, or interventions on active travel during the pandemic
• Pop-up infrastructure or new infrastructure designs to accommodate more active travel
• The impact of the pandemic on the active mobility of diverse groups (i.e., children, women, older adults, etc.)
• Innovative or cross-sectoral partnerships to address active travel in the new normal, including responses or new priorities from different levels of government
• How active travel patterns or behaviours have changed due to the pandemic
• How active travel is perceived or experienced during the pandemic
• How equity and justice issues in active travel before COVID-19 have been addressed, or continue to persist and need to be addressed
• The impacts of active travel during the pandemic on wellbeing and travel satisfaction
• Policy implications of the impact of COVID-19 on active travel
• Planning for the post-pandemic city and sustaining growth in active travel
We are seeking virtual presentation of papers for this session. Recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of this topic, we encourage submission of conceptual, theoretical, or empirical research that draws on different research traditions within our discipline – i.e., transport geography, urban geography, cultural geography, urban theory and planning, urban design, etc. – and/or takes different methodological approaches – i.e., quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods.
The current COVID-19 pandemic has shifted how people travel in cities around the world. In particular, many cities have used the pandemic as an opportunity to implement various strategies or interventions to encourage more active travel during social distancing (Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, 2020). According to the European Cyclists’ Federation (2020), investments in cycling increased in several countries like Finland, Italy, France, and the UK during the pandemic. Over 1,000 km of cycling measures have been implemented across Europe since the start of the pandemic (European Cyclists’ Federation, 2020). Bicycle sales have also increased substantially in many places. Cities like Lima, Peru (World Health Organization, 2020) have supported active travel by building more cycle lanes, while others, like Toronto, Canada (City of Toronto, 2020) have widened sidewalks and adopted weekend road closures to create more space for people who walk and cycle. The growth in cycling interest and levels is hypothesized to be due in part to its perceived safety during the pandemic compared to public transportation and its physical and mental health benefits. Enabling more walking and cycling has been identified as an important component of building healthier and more liveable cities after the pandemic (World Health Organization, 2020). Our understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on active travel is growing and there is much to learn from leading-edge research on the topic, as well as examples from planning and practice.
Type | Details | Minutes | Start Time |
---|---|---|---|
Introduction | Elise Desjardins McMaster University | 3 | 11:10 AM |
Presenter | Adam Radzimski*, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Right to transit: mapping accessibility patterns and social need in Gdańsk, Poland | 10 | 11:13 AM |
Presenter | Vincent Obry-Legros*, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada, Geneviève Boisjoly, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada, Kevin Manaugh, McGill University Montreal, Canada, Ugo Lachapelle, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada, Owen Waygood, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada, How did local accessibility and active transport infrastructure contribute to well-being across socio-economic status during the COVID-19 pandemic? | 10 | 11:23 AM |
Presenter | Jaimy Fischer, Simon Fraser University, Caislin Firth, Simon Fraser University, Meghan Winters*, Simon Fraser University, Room to move: COVID-19 street reallocations in four Canadian cities | 10 | 11:33 AM |
Presenter | E. Owen Waygood*, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering Polytechnique Montréal, Genevieve Boisjoly, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Kevin Manaugh, Department of Geography and McGill School of Environment, McGill University, Ipek Nese Sener, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Yilin Sun, Zhejiang University, Bobin Wang, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering Polytechnique Montréal, Zahra Tavakoli*, Polytechnique Montreal, Trip satisfaction during the first period of COVID-19 confinement | 10 | 11:43 AM |
Presenter | Christina Borowiec*, McMaster University, Darren M. Scott, McMaster University, Multimodal Trip Generation of Post-Secondary Students in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area | 10 | 11:53 AM |
Presenter | Elise Desjardins*, McMaster University, Christopher D. Higgins, University of Toronto Scarborough, Antonio Paez, McMaster University, Examining spatial equity and accessibility to a public bicycle share program using a balanced floating catchment area approach | 10 | 12:03 PM |
Discussant | Elise Desjardins McMaster University | 12 | 12:13 PM |
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