The Business Case for Active Transportation

1 The Business case for Active Transportation The Economic benefits of Walking and Cycling Richard Campbell, Margaret Wittgens Better Environmentally Sound Transportation March 2004. For information please contact: Go for Green Unit 16 5480 Canotek Road Gloucester, Ontario K1J 9H6 Canada Toll Free: 1-888-822-2848. Phone: 613-748-1800. Fax: 613-748-0357. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Table of Contents _____ 1. List of Tables _____ 3. Executive Summary _____ 4. 1. Introduction _____ 5. 2. Current State _____ 6. Walking _____ 6. Cycling_____ 6. Trip Distance and Time _____ 6.

2 3. Potential _____ 8. Climate _____ 8. Active Transportation Use in Various Cities _____ 8. Active Transportation Use by Country _____ 9. Barriers _____ 10. Demand_____ 10. Increases Following Infrastructure Improvements _____ 11. 4. Economic Benefits_____ 12. Transportation benefits _____ 12. Congestion Reduction_____ 12. Roadway Cost Savings _____ 13. Road Safety Savings _____ 15. User Savings _____ 16. Parking Cost Reduction _____ 17. Environmental benefits _____ 18. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions _____ 18. Air Pollution Reduction _____ 19.

3 Noise Reduction _____ 21. Water Quality _____ 22. Land Use_____ 22. Social benefits _____ 23. Increased Mobility _____ 23. Increased Sense of Community _____ 23. Barrier Effect Reduction_____ 23. Improved Liveability _____ 23. Regional Economic Impacts _____ 23. Industry _____ 24. Bicycle Sales_____ 24. Workplace benefits _____ 25. Health benefits _____ 26. Air Quality _____ 26. Physical Activity_____ 26. 1. Tourism _____ 28. Walking and Hiking Tourism _____ 29. Cycle tourism _____ 29. Retail Sales Improvements _____ 31. Property Values_____ 32. 5.

4 Significant Gaps in Research _____ 33. Canada-specific data _____ 33. Tracking of non-commuting trips_____ 33. Level of resources needed to attract a certain level of Active Transportation usage 33. Tourism in Canada_____ 33. Urban Tourism _____ 33. Rentals _____ 33. Sales Walking Gear _____ 33. Other forms of Active Transportation _____ 33. Quantification of social benefits _____ 34. Pedestrian Improvements in Canada _____ 34. 6. benefits of Federal Investment In Active Transportation _____ 35. Transport Canada _____ 35. Economic _____ 35. Social _____ 36.

5 Environmental_____ 36. Environment Canada _____ 37. GHG Emissions Reduction Benefits_____ 37. Air Pollution Reduction benefits _____ 37. Water Pollution Reduction benefits _____ 38. Other Environmental benefits _____ 38. Infrastructure Canada _____ 38. Prosperity of Our Cities _____ 39. Competitiveness of Our Economy _____ 40. The Well-being of Our Citizens _____ 40. Environmental_____ 41. Health Canada _____ 41. Improved Air Quality _____ 41. Increased Physical Activity_____ 42. Road Safety benefits _____ 42. 7. Summary of Economic benefits _____ 43.

6 Summary of benefits at Current Mode Shares _____ 43. Summary of benefits at Target Mode Share _____ 44. 8. Conclusion _____ 45. 2. LIST OF TABLES. Table 1: Distances Cycled One Way as a Percentage of Total Trips in Vancouver .. 6. Table 2: Active Commuting Time and Distance .. 7. Table 3: Active Transportation Average 7. Table 4: Average Time Spent Travelling .. 7. Table 5: Commuting Mode Shares in Canadian Census Metropolitan 8. Table 6: Mode Share in Selected Cities World Wide .. 9. Table 7: Mode Share in Selected 9. Table 8: benefits of Congestion Reduction.

7 13. Table 9: benefits of Congestion Reduction per Year .. 13. Table 10: benefits of Roadway Cost 14. Table 11: benefits of Roadway Cost Savings per 15. Table 12: benefits of Road Safety Savings .. 15. Table 13: benefits of Road Safety Savings per 16. Table 14: User 16. Table 15: User Savings per Year in Canada .. 17. Table 16: benefits of Reduction of Parking 17. Table 17: benefits of Reduction of Parking Costs per 18. Table 18: Benefit of GHG Reductions at $10 per Tonne .. 19. Table 19: Benefit of GHG Reductions at $50 per Tonne .. 19. Table 20: Benefit of GHG Reductions Per Year in Canada.

8 19. Table 21: benefits of Reduction in Air Pollution .. 20. Table 22: benefits of Reduction in Air Pollution per Year in Canada .. 21. Table 23: benefits of Reduction in 21. Table 24: benefits of Reduction in Noise per Year in Canada .. 21. Table 25: benefits of Reduction in Water 22. Table 26: benefits of Reduction in Water Pollution per Year .. 22. Table 27: Regional Economic Impacts of $1 Million Expenditure .. 24. Table 28: Increased Regional Economic Impacts a Year per 100,000 households .. 24. Table 29: Workplace benefits of Increased Physical Activity per 1% Mode 26.

9 Table 30: Workplace benefits of Increased Physical Activity per Year in 26. Table 31: Health benefits of Increased Physical Activity .. 28. Table 32: Health benefits of Increased Physical Activity per Year in Canada .. 28. Table 33: Yearly Return on Investment of Selected 30. Table 34: Bicycle Tourism benefits .. 30. Table 35: Effects on Trade of 18 Pedestrianisation Schemes .. 31. Table 36: User Savings per Year .. 35. Table 37: External Transportation Savings per Year in 36. Table 38: Social benefits per Year in Canada .. 36. Table 39: Environmental benefits per Year in Canada.

10 36. Table 40: GHG Emissions Reduction benefits per Year in 37. Table 41: Air Pollution Reduction benefits per Year in 37. Table 42: Water Pollution Reduction benefits per Year in Canada .. 38. Table 43: Yearly Return on Investment of Selected Trails in 39. Table 44: Increased Regional Economic Impacts a Year per 100,000 households .. 40. Table 45: Economic Competitiveness benefits .. 40. Table 46: Well-being benefits per Year .. 40. Table 47: Environmental benefits per Year .. 41. Table 48: Air Pollution Reduction benefits per 42. Table 49: Health benefits of Physical Activity pre 42.