To be efficient and equitable, a transportation system must be multimodal in order to serve diverse demands, including the mobility needs of people who cannot, should not, or prefer not to drive.
It lets travellers use the best option for each trip: Walking and cycling for local errands, public transit on major travel corridors and driving when it is truly optimal, considering all costs.
Few people want to give up driving altogether, but surveys indicate that many want to drive less and rely more on walking, cycling and public transit, provided they are convenient, comfortable and affordable.
That is good news because such shifts provide numerous benefits, including reduced traffic and parking congestion, consumer savings, improved public health, traffic safety, pollution reductions and habitat protection.
To make this possible, we need more multimodal planning 鈥� in other words, a variety of options.
Large shifts are possible. Improving travel options, and transportation demand management incentives that encourage efficient travel, typically reduce affected vehicle travel by 10 to 30聽per cent and more with integrated programs. Our region is implementing some of these solutions, but we can do much better. Here are four practical and cost-effective strategies for more efficient and equitable transport.
鈥� Accelerate sa国际传媒 Transit鈥檚 Transit Future Plan: This strategic plan will significantly improve public transit in our community, including rapid transit on major corridors, more local services, and better integration. The only problem is its 25-year completion target 鈥� many of us will be dead by then. With increased funding, we can implement this plan in a decade.
鈥� Improve interregional public transport connections: Transit travel from Victoria to Vancouver is inconvenient, and hardly exists to the Cowichan Valley or Nanaimo. Transit-ferry connections could be improved with better user information, more frequent service to ferry terminals, integrated fares and more comfortable waiting areas. Frequent and affordable bus service over the Malahat would reduce driver stress, user costs, congestion and crashes. It would also provide independent mobility for non-drivers, at less cost than other proposed improvements, as described in our report Rethinking Malahat Solutions: Or, Why Spend A Billion Dollars If A Five-Million Dollar Solution Is Better Overall?
鈥� Implement Transportation Demand Management: TDM includes various strategies that encourage travellers to use the most efficient option for each trip, such as commute trip reduction programs, efficient parking management, walking and cycling improvements, ride-share programs, and mobility management marketing. These generally repay their costs with road and parking cost savings, plus other benefits. Some local employers and campuses have TDM programs; these should expand to include more commuters and areas.
鈥� Support transit oriented development: Development policy reforms are needed to create compact, mixed, walkable neighbourhoods along frequent transit routes, where residents can drive less and rely more on resource-efficient modes. Many people want to live in such communities. Policy changes can ensure that any household that wants, can find suitable housing in a transit-oriented neighbourhood.
These strategies can significantly improve walking, cycling and public transit, creating communities where residents drive less, save money and reduce traffic problems. They help solve many local and global problems. Everybody wins from multimodal planning.
Ericka Amador is working on a masters in planning at Vancouver Island University. Todd Litman is executive director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute. They are both members of Cities for Everyone, a community organization that advocates for more affordable housing and transportation in our region.
