Toronto's Transportation Crisis
A Systems Analysis of the Economic, Environmental, and Socio-Cultural Impacts of Cycling Infrastructure
Systems Mapping Process
A systems mapping approach allowed us to simplify a complex system through visualisation
1 —
Research
Secondary Research
Publications, academic journals, and related news articles.
Mass Surveying
An online survey with 85 respondents affected by Toronto traffic, including commuters and residents.
Interviews
6 in-depth interviews with Toronto residents and commuters and industry professionals.
2 —
Organization
Organizing the findings from our research into tangible results was a very complicated and complex job. We went through many rounds of affinity mapping to be able to cluster our findings into groups and begin to see larger trends in the data. After these trends were found, we did more research to fill any gaps in our understanding to be able to see how each group linked and joined together.
3 —
Visualization
We created visual maps of our findings and a report to explain what was being shown on the visual maps. One of the maps created depicted the connections between various aspects of the problem and solution landscape and the other map showed the connections between the gaps and levers of change.
Problem
Among a variety of sentiments held by Torontonians in regard to the city’s transportation infrastructure, traveling through the downtown core has been described as adjacent to “treading through molasses”. It is well-known, by local residents and beyond, that commuting into and throughout the city is brimming with barriers. In fact, Toronto commuters endure some of the longest commuting trips in North
America. With Toronto being the fastest growing city in Canada, these conditions will only worsen if existing practices and solutions continue
to be applied.
Timeline
02.21 - 04.21
My Role
Researcher + Designer
In the end, we shouldn't have to settle with accepting a commuting experience that we don't enjoy or we know is bad for the environment. Several locations around the world provide safe and easy commuting experiences that don't require a car. Let's not only follow in the footsteps of other cities but pave the way and set an example with a transportation system that is good for people, the city, and the planet.