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Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA-UAB)

Seminar "Beyond Bike Lanes: The Politics of the Cycling Infrastructure Decision-Making Process", by Rebecca Mayers

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Detalls de l'event

Title: “Beyond Bike Lanes: The Politics of the Cycling Infrastructure Decision-Making Process” 


Speaker: Rebecca Mayers, University of British Columbia 


Date: Wednesday, February 2nd 2022 
Time: 14h 
Venue: online https://ubc.zoom.us/j/65777070598?pwd=OHVQbE8wZzBYTDdZL0h4Z3VDWmNsdz09
Meeting ID: 657 7707 0598 - Passcode: 065760 


Abstract: Despite the overwhelming evidence on the benefits of cycling, the process for approving initiatives for better infrastructure remains politically contentious. It remains unclear how the decisions are made regarding cycling infrastructure and why some projects are successful, and others fail. Political interests are often guiding the transportation agenda rather than the needs of all residents. In this presentation, I discuss a qualitative case study of the cycling infrastructure decision-making process in the City of Vancouver. Informed by political-economic theory, this study engaged with decision-makers through semi-structured interviews to answer the following research questions: (1) What is the current decision-making process of cycling infrastructure investment from long-term planning to evaluation?; (2) What are the mechanisms of influence and power in the cycling infrastructure decision-making process?; and (3) How are issues of equity valued, determined, implemented, and evaluated throughout the decision-making process? The analysis of findings prompted four themes to help better synthesize the politics of the cycling infrastructure decision-making process: (1) multifaceted decision-making process; (2) negotiating politics; (3) investment, growth, and equity; and (4) pandemic response. This research brings to light new findings on the political nature of cycling infrastructure and how growth and intense capitalization of space and time in the land market can be what holds the decision-making process together. Cycling infrastructure projects are not necessarily based on need yet based on who expresses their need and has the political means to communicate them. This work investigates the inequity in the decision-making to provoke further research on cycling infrastructure decision-making to broaden our understanding and how to influence positive change through the practice of planning. 
 

Bio: Rebecca’s research focuses on critical transportation topics, explored through a political economy lens to understand, critique, and propose changes to urban transportation networks. She strives to create equitable transportation networks, highlighting inequalities in the transportation infrastructure decision-making process. In her work, she uses innovative qualitative methodologies such as narrative inquiry and mobile methodologies to contextualize the cycling experience and planning decision-making process. She is also the creator and host of an award-winning podcast called Dense City, where she discusses academic articles and books on the topic of cities with the researchers who write them.  

Website: https://www.rebeccamayers.com/ 

Seminar by Rebecca Mayers at ICTA-UAB on cycling infrastructure