Ruben Mercado

Relative Accessibility Deprivation Indicators for Urban Settings: Definitions and Application to Food Deserts in Montreal

Accessibility research, within the context of the social exclusion dimensions of transport, has provided valuable tools to understand the potential of people to reach daily life activity locations. In this paper, model-based estimates of distance travelled are used to calculate a cumulative opportunities measure of accessibility. Multivariate, spatially expanded models produce estimates of distance travelled that are specific to both geographical location and type of individual. Opportunity landscapes obtained based on these estimates are used for comparative accessibility analysis by means of what are termed relative accessibility deprivation indicators. The indicators proposed are demonstrated with a case study of food deserts in the city of Montreal, Canada. The results of the analysis illustrate the variations in accessibility between individuals in low-income households and the reference group, and the effect of vehicle ownership for accessibility to food services, thus highlighting the social exclusion implications of these factors.

Accessibility to health care facilities in Montreal Island: an application of relative accessibility indicators from the perspective of senior and non-senior residents

BackgroundGeographical access to health care facilities is known to influence health services usage. As societies age, accessibility to health care becomes an increasingly acute public health concern. It is known that seniors tend to have lower mobility levels, and it is possible that this may negatively affect their ability to reach facilities and services. Therefore, it becomes important to examine the mobility situation of seniors vis-a-vis the spatial distribution of health care facilities, to identify areas where accessibility is low and interventions may be required.MethodsAccessibility is implemented using a cumulative opportunities measure. Instead of assuming a fixed bandwidth (i.e. a distance threshold) for measuring accessibility, in this paper the bandwidth is defined using model-based estimates of average trip length. Average trip length is an all-purpose indicator of individual mobility and geographical reach. Adoption of a spatial modelling approach allows us to tailor these estimates of travel behaviour to specific locations and person profiles. Replacing a fixed bandwidth with these estimates permits us to calculate customized location- and person-based accessibility measures that allow inter-personal as well as geographical comparisons.DataThe case study is Montreal Island. Geo-coded travel behaviour data, specifically average trip length, and relevant travellers attributes are obtained from the Montreal Household Travel Survey. These data are complemented with information from the Census. Health care facilities, also geo-coded, are extracted from a comprehensive business point database. Health care facilities are selected based on Standard Industrial Classification codes 8011-21 (Medical Doctors and Dentists).ResultsModel-based estimates of average trip length show that travel behaviour varies widely across space. With the exception of seniors in the downtown area, older residents of Montreal Island tend to be significantly less mobile than people of other age cohorts. The combination of average trip length estimates with the spatial distribution of health care facilities indicates that despite being more mobile, suburban residents tend to have lower levels of accessibility compared to central city residents. The effect is more marked for seniors. Furthermore, the results indicate that accessibility calculated using a fixed bandwidth would produce patterns of exposure to health care facilities that would be difficult to achieve for suburban seniors given actual mobility patterns.ConclusionsThe analysis shows large disparities in accessibility between seniors and non-seniors, between urban and suburban seniors, and between vehicle owning and non-owning seniors. This research was concerned with potential accessibility levels. Follow up research could consider the results reported here to select case studies of actual access and usage of health care facilities, and related health outcomes.

Explaining transport mode use of low-income persons for journey to work in urban areas: a case study of Ontario and Quebec

This article contributes to the growing research and policy interest on the challenges of achieving socially sustainable transportation. It analyses the determinants of transport mode use for journey to work among population groups considered as vulnerable to mobility and accessibility limitations. Using the 2001 Census of Canada, multilevel multinomial logistic regression models were estimated to assess the personal, social and economic factors that affect travel mode use of low-income persons in their journey to work in urban areas in Ontario and Quebec. The findings show important differences in the factors associated with car driving and public transit, between genders, and according to income level, educational achievement, household structure and immigration status. Furthermore, it is found that significant factors affecting travel mode use among low-income people in various urban areas are differentiated by province. The results point towards a geographic-based and balanced promotion of public and private mobility programmes and policies to address transport needs of low-income workers.

Jobs and the Single Parent: An Analysis of Accessibility to Employment in Toronto

Abstract In this article, we undertake an analysis of accessibility to jobs from the perspective of single-parent household members. Individuals in this demographic segment are of interest due to the fact they often face the double burden of household and employment responsibilities. A case study of the city of Toronto in Canada, an urban area that has seen an increase in absolute and relative numbers of single-parent households in recent years, is presented. Analysis is based on the application of relative accessibility deprivation indicators (RADI), which are calculated using model-based estimates of distance traveled for various population segments, as well as employment data for the city and its surroundings. The results of the analysis indicate that there are substantial differences in the levels of accessibility to jobs between members of single-parent households, in particular females, and members of other types of households.

Simulation Framework for Analysis of Elderly Mobility Policies

The population in developed countries is aging. Literature has paid minimal attention to the effects that population aging may have on transport demand and sustainability. These effects are believed to be more pronounced in urban areas. A policy framework is presented. It can be used as a template for the development and evaluation of policies that directly or indirectly relate to the effect of population aging on transport in urban areas and thereby inform the planning process. A component of the proposed policy development framework is an urban transport simulation model that is used to simulate policy scenarios over time. Integrated Model for Population Aging Consequences on Transportation (IMPACT) is a conventional transport simulation model coupled with a powerful demographic model that has the potential to project the population of traffic analysis zones over time, as it takes into account vital statistics (births, deaths) and migration rates. Two types of policies were investigated. The first regards elderly drivers license renewal; the second is related to new housing development policies. The results indicate that such a system can produce results that can inform policy regarding elderly automobility.