Solving the ‘First Mile Problem’ Opportunities for bike-transit integration in Edmonton, Alberta by Derek Yau A practicum submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the University of Manitoba in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of MASTER OF CITY PLANNING Department of City Planning Faculty of Architecture University of Manitoba Winnipeg Copyright © 2016 Derek Yau Abstract In an effort to shift reliance away from single-occupancy vehicles, many cities have been investing in active and public transportation, and promoting multi-modal travel. It has been recognized both academically and professionally that there is a need to address issues regarding access to transit stations and nodes – the ‘first mile problem.’ Many see bicycles as the answer to the first mile problem; however, scholarly literature has generally neglected exploring how to accommodate bicycles at different stations. This practicum investigates the first mile problem in Edmonton, Alberta, and identifies existing challenges with bicycle access to Edmonton’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) system. The findings suggest three distinct LRT ‘station types’, each requiring a nuanced suite of infrastructure improvements in order to encourage more bicycle access. Further, these improvements can only be realized through the development and execution of comprehensive policies and regulations that support cycling and bike-transit integration. [Keywords: Cycling, first mile problem, transit accessibility, active transportation, Edmonton] i Acknowledgements I would like to extend a sincere thanks to my advisor, Dr. Orly Linovski, for her invaluable guidance throughout the writing of this practicum. I would also like to thank committee members Dr. Rae Bridgman and the University of Alberta’s Dr. Amy Kim for their support and feedback. Thank you to the many survey and interview participants of this practicum as well. Your input added great depth and value to my research. This practicum could not have been completed without the support of my family in Richmond, British Columbia and Regina, Saskatchewan. To my friends and fellow classmates in Winnipeg whom I have gotten to know well over the past two years, thank you for your constant encouragement and loyalty. ii Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. ii Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... iii List of Images ........................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ...........................................................................................................................vii 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Problem statement and research questions ................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research objectives and significance .............................................................................................. 2 1.3 Document structure .......................................................................................................................... 3 2.0 Context ............................................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Edmonton, Alberta ........................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Edmonton Light Rail Transit .......................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Bike infrastructure in Edmonton .................................................................................................... 8 2.4 Edmonton’s urban context ............................................................................................................ 10 2.5 Edmonton as a case study .............................................................................................................. 14 3.0 Literature Review .......................................................................................................... 17 3.1 Sustainable and resilient cities ....................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Recent developments in sustainable transportation ................................................................... 18 3.3 The ‘first mile problem’ .................................................................................................................. 20 3.4 Bike-transit integration ................................................................................................................... 23 3.4.1 Bicycle access and egress ....................................................................................................... 26 3.4.2 Bike-transit integration policy ............................................................................................... 27 3.5 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 29 4.0 Research Methods......................................................................................................... 30 4.1 Case study research ......................................................................................................................... 30 4.2 Site analyses ...................................................................................................................................... 31 iii 4.3 Observations .................................................................................................................................... 32 4.3.1 Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 33 4.4 Surveys / Structured interviews .................................................................................................... 34 4.4.1 Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 35 4.5 Practitioner (semi-structured) interviews ..................................................................................... 35 4.5.1 Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 37 4.6 Limitations........................................................................................................................................ 38 4.7 Biases ................................................................................................................................................. 40 5.0 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 41 5.1 Site Analyses ..................................................................................................................................... 44 5.1.1 Northeast.................................................................................................................................. 44 5.1.2 Downtown ............................................................................................................................... 48 5.1.3 South ......................................................................................................................................... 51 5.1.4 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 56 5.2 Observations .................................................................................................................................... 56 5.2.1 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 58 5.3 Surveys .............................................................................................................................................. 59 5.3.1 Trip purpose ............................................................................................................................ 59 5.3.2 Boarding with bikes ................................................................................................................ 59 5.3.3 Access routes ........................................................................................................................... 60 5.3.4 Access distances ...................................................................................................................... 62 5.3.5 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 63 5.4 Station types ..................................................................................................................................... 64 5.4.1 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 66 5.5 Practitioner interviews ...................................................................................................................