Road to Health: Improving Walking and Cycling in Toronto
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This page has been intentionally left blank. Acknowledgements Reference Toronto Public Health, Road to Health: Improving Walking and Cycling in Toronto. April 2012. Prepared by: IndEco Strategic Consulting Inc. in collaboration with Toronto Public Health and City of Toronto, Transportation Services Prepared For: Toronto Public Health, Healthy Public Policy Directorate Project Team: Deborah Lightman, IndEco Meghan Winters, Simon Fraser University David Heeney, IndEco Carol Mee, Toronto Public Health Shawn Chirrey, Toronto Public Health Monica Campbell, Toronto Public Health Rosie Mishaiel, Toronto Public Health Project Advisory Committee: Kathryn MacKay, Ontario Medical Association Matthew Mayer, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Catriona Delaney, YMCA of Greater Toronto Christina Bouchard, Transportation Services, City of Toronto, Janet Lo, Transportation Services, City of Toronto Additional Advisors: Fiona Chapman, Transportation Services, City of Toronto Daniel Egan, Transportation Services, City of Toronto Linda Ferguson, Toronto Public Health Rita Paul-Sen Gupta, Toronto Public Health Nancy Smith Lea and Ryan Whitney, Toronto Centre for Active Transportation Jackie Leroux, Toronto Public Health Ronald Macfarlane, Toronto Public Health Toronto Public Health Healthy Public Policy 277 Victoria St., 7th Floor Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 1W2 (416)392-6788 E-mail: [email protected] Report available at: http://www.toronto.ca/health April 2012 This page has been intentionally left blank. About the Healthy Toronto By Design Report Series Healthy Toronto By Design was released by Toronto Public Health in October 2011 and was the first in a series of reports on how local communities shape the health of their residents. The report noted that healthy cities are cities that are liveable, prosperous and sustainable. They are cities with high quality built and natural environments, public transit, housing, culture, education, food and health care. Healthy cities don't just happen. They result from creative vision, strategic decision-making and thoughtful implementation that respects the needs and challenges of all residents. They happen by design – through intentional investment and provision of infrastructure, programs and services with health in mind. This report is one of a series which explore what makes a healthy city. Visit Toronto Public Health's website at http://www.toronto.ca/health for a list of reports in the series. Some of the topic areas in the series include the following: • Road to Health – this report synthesizes evidence on health benefits and risks associated with walking, cycling and physical activity related to the use of public transit, as well as economic assessments and specific strategies to increase the use and safety of active transportation in Toronto. • The Walkable City – this report summarizes the findings of a Residential Preferences Survey that gauges public demand for walkable versus more auto-oriented neighbourhoods, and links this information with travel choices, physical activity levels and body weight. • Creating Healthy Built Environments – Highlights of Best Practices in Toronto – this report showcases examples of innovative practices and policies across city government in Toronto that promote healthy built environments. • Enabling Healthier Neighbourhoods through Land Use Planning – this report synthesizes zoning barriers and opportunities to promote healthy neighbourhoods, particularly in clusters of residential apartment towers in low income areas and inner suburbs of Toronto. • Health Impact Assessment Software Tool – a software tool has been developed to assist policy and decision-makers understand how different approaches to neighbourhood design might impact health-related outcomes such as physical activity levels, body weight and greenhouse gas emissions. A technical report synthesizes information on the development of the tool and results of pilot testing. This page has been intentionally left blank. Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................... 4 Introduction: The critical nexus of transportation and health......................................... 8 Chapter 1. Active transportation: A review of the evidence ........................................ 10 Active transportation as a source of physical activity ........................................... 10 Individual health benefits of physical activity from active transportation ............... 11 Population health benefits of physical activity from active transportation .............. 13 Population health benefits of reduced motor vehicle travel .................................. 14 Comparing health benefits, risks and costs ......................................................... 15 Transportation system benefits ........................................................................... 16 Social, economic, and environmental benefits ..................................................... 18 Chapter 2. Active transportation in Toronto ............................................................... 21 Walking and cycling in the City of Toronto ........................................................... 21 Quantifying the health benefits of active transportation in Toronto ....................... 24 Estimating current levels of walking and cycling .................................................. 25 Deaths prevented through active transportation in Toronto .................................. 26 The value of active transportation in Toronto ....................................................... 26 The value of increasing active transportation in Toronto ...................................... 28 Chapter 3. Health risks of walking and cycling in Toronto .......................................... 32 Collisions, injuries and fatalities .......................................................................... 32 Costs of collisions, injuries, and fatalities ............................................................ 35 Chapter 4. Distribution of health benefits and risks .................................................... 39 Walking and cycling in Toronto’s core versus suburbs ......................................... 39 Active transportation and equity in Toronto ......................................................... 42 Chapter 5. Strategies for improving active transportation in Toronto .......................... 47 Toronto’s actions on active transportation ........................................................... 47 Improving active transportation in Toronto ........................................................... 48 Making active transportation safer....................................................................... 49 Making active transportation more attractive ....................................................... 58 Enabling active transportation through land-use planning .................................... 63 Making active transportation more accessible ..................................................... 65 Implementing coordinated packages of actions ................................................... 67 Chapter 6. Facilitating effective action in Toronto ...................................................... 70 Setting goals ...................................................................................................... 70 Developing plans, policies and standards ............................................................ 71 Collecting better information ............................................................................... 71 Tools to improve decision-making ....................................................................... 72 Enhancing partnerships ...................................................................................... 74 Building community support ................................................................................ 75 Seeking funding from other levels of government ................................................ 75 Benchmarking other jurisdictions ........................................................................ 76 2 ROAD TO HEALTH: IMPROVING WALKING AND CYCLING IN TORONTO Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 78 References ............................................................................................................... 80 Appendix A. Methodology for quantifying health benefits ......................................... 90 Appendix B. Analysis of types of collisions .............................................................. 96 Appendix C. Toronto policies and programs ............................................................ 98 ROAD TO HEALTH: IMPROVING WALKING AND CYCLING IN TORONTO 3 Executive Summary This report focuses on active transportation as a means to improve health and quality of life in Toronto. It reviews the literature on the health impacts of walking and cycling for transportation in urban areas, and also discusses the economic, social, environmental, and transportation system benefits. It presents data on walking and cycling mode shares in the City of Toronto and quantifies the health benefits of active transportation in Toronto. It also analyzes collision data and quantifies the costs of pedestrian and cyclist collisions and injuries in Toronto. Finally, it draws on secondary sources and interviews with municipal staff in other jurisdictions