Old Dog, New Tricks: The effect of dynamic road implementation of elder accessibility

Abstract

Dynamic road space allocation is a growing topic in the transportation planning sector as more cities contend with lack of space, increased population, and demand for more sustainable designs. The aim for most cities considering these new designs is a move away from the car, in a more gradual way than simply eliminating all familiar four-wheel infrastructure in a single pass. For many people, cars represent freedom of movement in a way that other modes struggle to compete with. A shift away from these modes has the potential to level the playing field when it comes to access to opportunities, but for vulnerable populations like the elderly who are dependent on modes that they have used all their lives, it could pose a threat to access to opportunities and subsequent wellbeing. It is possible to envision a future where a car is not the key to unlocking opportunities in the urban environment, but this vision must be paired with a lens of justice that accounts for many different needs and capabilities. This thesis aims to determine the equity implications of implementing dynamic roads, focusing on elder accessibility. Utilizing Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach, I delve into the ways in which elderly populations currently travel and access (social) opportunities and how these travel behaviors might be affected by the implementation of dynamic roads. I use the capabilities approach to conduct a survey in the elderly-dense neighborhood of Buitenveldert which closely neighbors a site of potential dynamic road implementation (near the Amsterdam Zuid station). From the results of the survey, I determine the technological and modal capabilities of this population. Based on this, it was determined that the capabilities required to use dynamic roads do not align with those of the population. Therefore, implementation of a dynamic roads scheme in the area would not align with the equity and accessibility goals of the city of Amsterdam. Issues of route predictability and reliance on the ability to use a smart device prevent this from being an equitable solution to the issue of space optimization. This study concludes with recommendations to create a more equitable strategy for dynamic road implementation.