On November 7, 2022, Nancy Smith Lea, senior advisor and former director at TCAT, spoke at the Livable Streets 2.0 event in Toronto. Co-presented by Mobility Network and Suburban Mobilities, the event featured presentations and discussions centred around Dr. Bruce Appleyard\u2019s recent book \u201cLivable Streets 2.0\u201d and Toronto\u2019s situation vis-\u00e0-vis livable streets.<\/p>\n
The book \u201cLivable Streets 2.0\u201d (2020) by Bruce and Donald Appleyard builds on Bruce\u2019s father Donald Appleyard\u2019s book \u201cLivable Streets\u201d (1981), updating the topic with the latest research, new case studies, and best human-centered practices for creating more livable streets for all. Nancy Smith Lea added Toronto context to the conversation, focusing on the role of advocacy, the divides of the city, how decisions are made, and TCAT\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n
One divide in Toronto is the safety of those in cars compared to those walking and cycling, said Smith Lea. \u201cIt\u2019s getting more unsafe for people who are walking and cycling,\u201d she stated. Another divide is between the numbers of urban and suburban cyclists. \u201cCycling in Toronto\u2019s downtown is on the rise. But in the inner suburbs, cycling rates are lower today than they were in 1996,\u201d said Smith Lea.<\/p>\n