Reassembling Urban Travel: Mobilities, Neighbourhoods, and Off-Car Possibilities
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Reassembling Urban Travel: Mobilities, Neighbourhoods, and Off-Car Possibilities by Nick Adam Scott A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Carleton University Ottawa, Canada 2012 ©2012 Nick Adam Scott Library and Archives Bibliotheque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du 1+1 Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-93690-0 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-93690-0 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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Canada ABSTRACT Car dependence has become a systemic crisis for cities, tied to problems as diverse as gridlock, epidemic obesity and climate change. Yet, transport continues to be seen as an instrumental behaviour, isolated from other aspects of the city, thus obscuring the social, political and economic conditions of the car that stymie reform. In response to this narrow understanding, my thesis considers travel through a wide lens. It seeks to deepen our understanding of everyday mobility by examining its multifaceted relationship with urban space and the built environment. My thesis engages with recent research on mobilities, Henri Lefebvre’s work on the production of space, and actor-network theory. Building on these materials, I advance a conceptual approach called “neighbourhoods of mobility” that emphasizes the particular ways in which automobility, rail travel, and other mobilities interact with urban space through city planning and everyday practice. I use this conceptual approach to 1) explore mobility as it is co-constructed with the city as a network of urban flows and fixities, and 2) outline a critical politics of automobility that supports the expansion of urban rail transit, bicycle travel, and walking. To examine historical and contemporary “neighbourhoods of mobility,” I conduct a detailed case study of the National Capital Region. I use a mixed methods research design that proceeds in three stages. First, I trace the historical consolidation of mass automobility in southern Ontario as a dynamic and diverse network. Second, I examine recent attempts to curb car use through smart growth and the production of space for cycling and light rail transit. Third, I investigate how cities are re-imagining and forecasting future mobilities through urban intensification, even as recent moves by the Harper government threaten the scientific basis for long term planning. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project is the outcome of a set of questions and conversations that first came to the fore on a practical level, when I started cycling, walking and taking public transit to school and work. For the task of turning a practical preoccupation with urban travel into a Ph.D. thesis, I relied heavily on a team of mentors and colleagues, and for that many thanks are in order. First and foremost, I am deeply indebted to my graduate supervisor, Janet Siltanen. Her abiding mentorship has been critical to my growth as a writer, methodologist and scholar, and without her guidance and support, this project would not have been possible. Additionally, I am deeply grateful to Jackie Kennelly and Fran Klodawsky, who contributed immensely to my dissertation through their instruction on matters as diverse as practice, social theory, social justice and the city. I could not imagine a more engaging and supportive committee. A number of other people also deserve recognition for their contributions, including Melanie White, who provided invaluable theoretical advice in the early stages of this project, and Carlos Novas, who offered insight at a critical juncture in its development. I also owe sincere gratitude to my colleagues, especially Christian Pasiak, Tim Di Leo Browne and my reading group, for continually sharing their ideas and camaraderie. My wonderful partner Meghan Hanlon also deserves credit, for her editorial input and unfailing emotional support. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all of the interviewees who participated in this project, those who provided photographs, those who assisted in my archival research at the City of Ottawa, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for providing financial support. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF ACRONYMS..................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... 1 Between Neighbourhoods of Mobility .................................................................. 1 The Politics of Mobility .......................................................................................... 6 Reinventing the Wheel ............................................................................................ 12 Mobility and Space, a Dynamic Relationship ....................................................... 17 2 METHODS AND RESEARCH DESIGN.............................................................. 24 Methodology: Mixed Methods with Narratives of Mobility and Space ............. 25 A Critical Case Study............................................................................................... 35 Methods and Data .................................................................................................... 47 3 ASSEMBLING URBAN CAR TRAVEL............................................................... 55 The First Vignette: Sparks Street Blues ................................................................. 56 Actor-Network Theory and Automobility .............................................................. 60 Ignition: 1901-1939 ................................................................................................. 67 The Rise of Car-Oriented Development: 1945-1972 ............................................ 80 The Second Vignette: Bronson Avenue Express ................................................... 93 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................... 97 4 THE PRODUCTION OF NEW URBAN SPACE................................................. 99 The Third Vignette: King Edward’s Very Large Trucks .......................................100 New Urban Roads: A Third Way for Automobility? ............................................. 104 Mobilities and the Production of Space ................................................................. 109 Producing New Urban Space I: Neighbourhood Train Travel ..............................119 Producing New Urban Space II: Cyclomobility ....................................................138 The Fourth Vignette: Sussex Memorial D rive .......................................................155 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................... 157 5 ASPIRATIONAL SPACE AND THE INTENSIFICATION OF URBAN LIFE...........................................................................................................................159 The Fifth Vignette: Terry Fox Drive and Suburban Futures .................................160 Planning “Neighbourhoods of Mobility” ............................................................. 164 Neoliberal Urbanism and the Erosion of Smart Planning Tools ........................ 174 Planning Urban Futures in Ottawa ......................................................................