Running Head: SECURE PLANNING OF BUS STOPS IN TORONTO Planning for Secure Surface Bus Stops in Toronto by Henry Y.W. Tseng supervised by Peter R. Mulvihill A Major Paper submitted to the Faculty of Environmental Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Environmental Studies York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada May 19th, 2019 SECURE PLANNING OF BUS STOPS IN TORONTO II Abstract This paper evaluates the ways spatial planning understands and engages with personal security through a study of inner-suburban surface transit stops in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Although often considered by planning, personal security does not appear to be subjected to the same level of attention as other design and planning priorities. The foundation for this study was a review of security focussed criminological, spatial planning, and a small quantity of legal texts in order to analyze overlaps and deviations. This was followed by analysis of relationship between personal security and the city’s public transit operator, the Toronto Transit Commission, through a review of historical texts and current policy documents guiding surface transit stop placement and design. The final component of this paper is a discussion of an audit of the design and placement of a selection of conventional bus stops in inner-suburban areas. Overall, there are indications that some progress is being made in addressing personal security but there is still significant room for improvement. Keywords: Spatial Planning, Surface Transit Stops, Public Transit, Personal Security, Toronto Transit Commission SECURE PLANNING OF BUS STOPS IN TORONTO III Acknowledgements I am grateful for the assistance and patience of my supervisor Professor Peter Mulvihill and my former advisor and supervisor Professor Jennifer Foster. Additional thanks go to Professor Rod MacRae, who served as the chair of my final examination committee, for his feedback and assistance. Any errors and omissions that remain in this paper are my own. I am also extremely thankful for the support of Professor Liette Gilbert, the graduate program director of York University’s Faculty of Environmental Studies. I also appreciate the assistance of the Office of Student and Academic Services regarding enrollment and form submission during the course of my MES degree. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their support and providing me with the opportunity to pursue this field of study. SECURE PLANNING OF BUS STOPS IN TORONTO IV Table of Contents Planning for Secure Surface Bus Stops in Toronto ......................................................................... I Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... II Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... III Foreword ......................................................................................................................................... I1 Planning for Secure Surface Bus Stops in Toronto ........................................................................ 2 Why is Public Transit Considered to be Insecure? ......................................................................... 2 Traditional Crime .................................................................................................................. 4 Signs of Disorder ................................................................................................................... 9 What Are The Main Theoretical Approaches To Explaining Crime On Public Transit? ... 17 How Do These Theories of Crime Relate to Our Topic? .................................................... 26 Common Ground: The Spatial Environment and Personal Security ................................... 26 Security-Oriented Spatial Measures ............................................................................................. 31 Context: Public Transportation in Toronto ................................................................................... 51 Toronto in the 20th Century: The Toronto Transit Commission and Surface Routes ........ 51 Contemporary Surface Public Transportation in Toronto ................................................... 52 Personal Security and the TTC ............................................................................................ 53 Policy Context ..................................................................................................................... 57 Legal Responsibility for Passenger Well-Being .................................................................. 59 What Spatial Elements May Affect Security at TTC Surface Stops? ........................................... 62 Stop Lighting ....................................................................................................................... 63 Wayfinding .......................................................................................................................... 65 Methods......................................................................................................................................... 71 Subjects of Analysis ............................................................................................................ 71 SECURE PLANNING OF BUS STOPS IN TORONTO V General Aspects ................................................................................................................... 78 Route Selection .................................................................................................................... 80 Results and Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 92 Initial Findings..................................................................................................................... 92 Shelters ................................................................................................................................ 93 Ambient Street Lighting ...................................................................................................... 97 Shelter Specific Lighting ..................................................................................................... 99 Shelter Features: Shelter Maps .......................................................................................... 107 Shelter Features: Next Vehicle Information System Screens ............................................ 109 Stop Markers ..................................................................................................................... 111 Surrounding Land Use ....................................................................................................... 112 Interface with Surrounding Land Use: Facing .................................................................. 122 Interface with Surrounding Land Use: Barriers ................................................................ 124 Interface with Surrounding Land Use: Distance ............................................................... 129 Observed Occurrences ....................................................................................................... 132 Remedial Measures for Potentially Problematic Stops ..................................................... 134 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 138 References ................................................................................................................................... 139 Appendices .................................................................................................................................. 151 Appendix A: Reported Offences on the TTC (2016, 2017A, 2018) ................................. 151 Appendix B: Toronto Transit Commission System Map (TTC, 2018) ............................. 154 Appendix C: Land Uses in the Vicinity of the Selected Bus Routes ................................ 160 Appendix D: Rectifiable Potentially Problematic Stops ................................................... 184 Appendix E: Unrectifiable Potentially Problematic Stops ................................................ 197 SECURE PLANNING OF BUS STOPS IN TORONTO VI Table of Figures Figure 1 A map of Toronto and its former municipalities ............................................................ 52 Figure 2 The top 4 relevant reported offences on the TTC ........................................................... 55 Figure 3 Other offences that may be particularly relevant to perceptions of personal security ... 56 Figure 4 An illuminated hard copy shelter advertisement panel .................................................. 65 Figure 5a, b, c Stop markers ......................................................................................................... 67 Figure 6 Stop marker placards ...................................................................................................... 68 Figure 7 Transit shelter map. ........................................................................................................ 69 Figure 8 Next vehicle information system screen ......................................................................... 70 Figure 9 Selected routes relative to the boundaries of Toronto’s former municipalities.............