Future of Transportation in Calgary
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Calgary Calgary Calgary Calgary Calgary Future of Transportation in Calgary Forward Approximately 200 years ago, rail technology was first developed, and dramatically changed the way people moved within and between cities. 100 years ago, aviation started to transform the way people traveled between countries and continents. 50 years ago, spaceflight enabled humans to explore outside of our planet. Closer to home, transportation has evolved over the past centuries from horse and buggy to the automobile; this change has had a significant impact on the way cities have been designed and the way people live. While it is difficult to imagine a future with a different form of personal transportation, it is more difficult to imagine that we have reached the apex of personal mobility during the period of some of the greatest technological change in human history. Cities will be at the forefront of this change, and planners, engineers and policy makers will have to make decisions on how to use the technology to better the quality of life for their current and future citizens. The future is impossible to predict, but there are several trends that appear to be moving ahead with unwavering momentum. Automation, electrification and connected and shared mobility are predicted to improve into the foreseeable future. This report gives a high-level overview of the key trends occurring in transportation and gives information on what local governments are responsible for, the benefits and risks of each technology, and the best way for The City of Calgary to move forward. The City of Calgary Transportation Department undertook a review of societal trends and transformative transportation technologies at the direction of Calgary City Council. May 2017 Table of Contents Peer Review ......................................................................................04 Other ..................................................................................................92 Introduction .....................................................................................05 Virtual and Augmented Reality ....................................93 Factors that will influence Future Transportation 3D Printing ...........................................................................94 Technology’s Impact on Calgary ...............................................10 Biometrics ............................................................................95 Alignment with Federal and Provincial Strategies .............13 Hoverboards (self-balancing scooter) ........................96 Impacts on City Policies, Operations and Finances ............15 Straddlebus .........................................................................97 Analyzing Transformative Technological Trends .................17 Solar Roadways ..................................................................98 Autonomy ...................................................................................20 Hyperloop ............................................................................99 Autonomous Vehicles .....................................................22 Biofuels/Synthetic Fuel .................................................100 Aerial Delivery Drones .....................................................40 Hydrogen Fuel Cells .......................................................101 Electrification .............................................................................46 Retrospective and Next Steps ................................................102 Electric Vehicles ..................................................................48 Appendix 1 - Potential Impacts from Future E-Bikes and Pedelecs ........................................................56 Transportation Technologies to the MDP/CTP Sustainability Principles ............................................................107 Connectivity and Shared Mobility ......................................64 Appendix 2 - Potential Fiscal Implications .........................109 Connected Vehicles ..........................................................66 Appendix 3 - Triple Bottom Line Implications ..................111 Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ..........................................74 Appendix 4 - Economic Diversification ...............................115 Internet of Things (ioT) ....................................................80 Works cited ....................................................................................116 Parking Technology ..........................................................86 Acknowledgements ...................................................................119 The City of Calgary | Future of Transportation in Calgary 3 Peer Review The following internal and external stakeholders voluntarily reviewed the draft document and provided feedback. The City of Calgary would like to thank the following individuals and groups for their contribution to this document: External Internal • Government of Alberta • Calgary Police Services • University of Calgary • Calgary Parking Authority • City of Winnipeg • Law • Alberta Centre for Advanced Micro • Calgary Transit Nanotechnology Products (ACAMP) • Roads • Civil Maps • Transportation Planning • Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre • Information Technology Of Excellence (CAVCOE) • Corporate Analytics and Innovation • Canadian Highways Institute • Urban Strategy • Manning Centre • Calgary Community Standards • Stantec • Parks • Urban Systems Ltd • Environmental and Safety Management 4 The City of Calgary | Future of Transportation in Calgary Introduction The City of Calgary Transportation department undertook a review of societal trends and transformative transportation technologies at the direction of Calgary City Council. The City of Calgary | Future of Transportation in Calgary 5 The future of mobility in Calgary “ If planned New transportation technology helps shape cities. For over 100 years, Calgary and cities across the globe have been shaped by the automobile. accordingly, the Planning transportation around the automobile has allowed people to live development further away from their work and gave rise to most of the urban form in the modern world. New transportation technologies are expected to continue of new to change cities. transportation Over the past decade, increased computing power, smart Each of these trends is intertwined and supportive of phones and technological discoveries have enabled one another. An electric autonomous car, that does not technology the development of technologies that were once in the require a driver, can be shared by multiple commuters realm of science fiction. While cities cannot predict the who are connected via a smart phone app. future, there are major technological and social trends does not have Occurring concurrently to technological progress, occurring in transportation. Autonomy, electrification, cities are moving to be more liveable and human scale. connectivity and shared mobility are predicted to impact Cities around the world are investing in public transit to be at odds transportation over the upcoming decades. and cycling infrastructure that allows for mixed use As it relates to transportation: development and lively pedestrian filled streetscapes. If planned accordingly, the development of new • Autonomy refers to a vehicle’s ability to perform with a liveable transportation technology does not have to be at odds tasks without a driver. with a liveable human scale city. • Electrification refers to the increase in the human scale production and uptake of vehicles using electric power as opposed to fossil fuels. • Connectivity and shared mobility. Connectivity city.” refers to an item’s ability to be digitally connected to other items. Shared mobility is the trend of people using services to commute instead of owning a personal vehicle – shared mobility is enabled through connectivity. 6 The City of Calgary | Future of Transportation in Calgary Being proactive for an uncertain future • Providing a scan of what other jurisdictions are For a number of technologies in the report, doing in regards to regulating or promoting the Administration offers a number of next steps that Cities do not want to be in the position where a technology, so Calgary can understand where it can put Calgary in a leading role nationwide when it transportation technology is beginning to be adopted fits in relation to other cities and what innovative comes to policy and exploration of new transportation by the public and there is uncertainty as to how/if it policies and practices it could utilize to influence technologies. In the near term these include: should be regulated, and how it fits into their strategic the technology. plans. Conversely, cities do not want to be in a position • Participate in field trials for a low-speed autonomous where they over-regulate a technology too early, • Providing an analysis of how future technologies vehicle pilot project. potentially negating benefits of the technology, or invest could impact the long term vision for Calgary as • Continuing development of an Electric Vehicle prematurely in infrastructure for a technology that may articulated in the Municipal Development Plan Strategy for Calgary. not be adopted by Calgarians. For example, in 2001 it (MDP), Calgary Transportation Plan (CTP) and other • Create a scenario using the Calgary Regional was predicted in Time Magazine that the Segway “will City policy documents. Transportation Model (RTM) that accounts for