Beyond buzzwords: Evaluating the integration of accessibility goals and indicators in land use and transportation policy documents

Abstract

Accessibility, defined as the ease of reaching destinations, is often framed as a paradigm shift in land use and transport planning. However, while widely known in research as a cornerstone of sustainable urban and transport systems, this concept has yet to be realized in planning practice. Many studies have assessed the integration of accessibility in policy documents, to evaluate the current state of practice and identify barriers to implementation. Yet, no study that looked at the integration of accessibility in policy documents has assessed accessibility across documents published by different organization types and government levels. This study addresses this gap by examining how different documents define accessibility, whether they distinguish it from mobility, and the degree to which accessibility objectives are supported by indicators. We assessed 40 Canadian documents from land use and transport planning authorities, municipalities, and transit agencies using a 20 binary questions structured content analysis framework complemented by a qualitative content analysis. We find that municipal documents score higher than documents produced by transit agencies, especially in recent years. Further, the highest accessibility score (90%) is obtained by a municipal integrated land use and transport plan. In contrast, no transit agency document scored above 50% nor includes accessibility indicators. Many documents also reveal inconsistencies between stated objectives, governance structures, and implementation pathways. This research highlights the growing consideration of accessibility in policy documents, but there remains a need for all organizations involved in the planning of land use and transportation systems to better define accessibility indicators.