Promote active mobility efficiently

ACTIV8! develops strategic planning tools for local and supra-regional actors pursuing to efficiently promote active mobility.

The project goal is

1. To develop a mathematical/statistical model systematically examining and quantifying the links between active mobility (walking, cycling) and its spatial, social and infrastructural factors on communal and regional levels.
2. To derive und test region-specific and target group-specific measures and strategies.
3. Thirdly, to develop dedicated planning tools for regional benchmarking and the simulation of impacts. Also, options for integrating the ACTIV8! approach into current planning processes will be developed.

At present, measures to promote active mobility (walking, cycling) are taken primarily on the base of one-off initiatives and plans on the small scale. As cause-and-effect patterns between active mobility volumes and its respective drivers and constraints are unclear for the most part, dedicated policies and measures as well as current planning practice frequently lack efficiency while perpetuating federal discrepancies. A more knowledge-based approach is deemed to create substantial improvements in this context ("tailor-made solution in place of rigid panaceas").

Our research project is based on the idea to adopting a holistic perspective on active mobility and deriving specific and promising packages of measures addressing the respective local conditions. The project goal of ACTIV8! is (1) to develop a mathematical/statistical model to systematically and quantitatively identify the links between the proportion of active mobility and its spatial, social and infrastructural factors on municipal and regional levels. First project results include transferable tools and methods for the preparation of indicators regarding spatial, social, political and infrastructural context as well as methods for the measurement of active mobility. Quantitative multivariate methods are investigated and tested to determine the effect of correlations of the modelled indicators above. A description of interfaces and components for updating and refining the data base will be developed as well.

On this basis, a further objective of the project is to (2) develop appropriate methods to derive und test region-specific and target group-specific measures and strategies for sustainable promotion of active mobility. A first result to achieve this goal is a pool of dedicated generic measures. Area and target group-specific measures are derived and subsequently tested by weighting the generic measures based on the model results.

(3) The development of the planning tools "regional benchmarking" and "measure implementation Simulation" are additional project objectives and results.

The respective methods for these tools are developed and tested based on the model results. The approach`s capacity will be demonstrated in general terms by means of showcase applications in Austrian test regions. Based on our communication with potential users (c.f. LOI's in the appendix) specific regions, e.g. in Vorarlberg (municipalities of the regional mobility management "plan b" Feldkirch, Bregenz) could already be short-listed. However, it should be noted that the identification of test-areas is also influenced by the model results.

In the course of the project we will also develop possibilities on how to best integrate the ACTIV8! approach into current planning processes involving the project advisory board. Public participation is a substantial means in terms of measure assessment, development of sustainable solutions and increase public acceptance when providing new supply and/or facilities, particularly in the context of active mobility. Hence a dedicated result category of the ACTIV8! tool set is to specify the region-specific relevance and orientation of participation processes and by that consistently integrating them into planning strategies dedicated on promoting active mobility. In the framework of this project the ACTIV8! approach will be developed as a Proof-of concept (including a prototype). Subsequently, we seek to path the way for further development (towards application maturity) by already identified user groups. In this regard, both the advisory board and the partnering regions play a vital role