Forum on Moving People:Responses to Congestion

Although bicycling is not mentionned specifically, it could be of interest to many cyclists. I have heard Steve Munro speak, he is a good advocate for transit.

TORONTO IN QUESTION LECTURE SERIES
Tuesday, October 25, 2011, 6:30-8:30 pm
John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, 230 College Street, Room 103

Moving People: Responses to Congestion [Ed: link is here]

Steve Munro was born in Toronto and has spent his professional life in Information Technology. He has been active in transit politics since 1972 when the "Streetcars for Toronto Committee" fought for the retention and expansion of the streetcar system. The committee's goal was a network of low-cost rapid transit services to the new, growing suburbs based on the principles of "Light Rapid Transit". Although the committee disbanded in the 1980s, Steve remained active as a transit advocate on many fronts. The TTC's "Ridership Growth Strategy" and "Transit City" drew heavily on Steve's advocacy that "The Better Way" could be much more than just a marketing slogan. Steve is a frequent commentator on transit in Toronto in the press and media, and through his well-known blog at stevemunro.ca

Eric Miller is the inaugural Director of the University of Toronto Cities Centre. He has B.A.Sc. and M.A.Sc. degrees from the University of Toronto and a Ph.D. from M.I.T. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto since 1983, where he served as Acting Chair in 1998-99, 2003 and 2007. Prof. Miller is Chair of the U.S. Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committee on Travel Behavior and Values and past-Chair of the International Association for Travel Behaviour Research. He is past-Chair of the TRB Sub-Committee on Integrated Transportation – Land Use Modeling and Member Emeritus of the TRB Transportation Demand Forecasting Committee. He served on the TRB Task Force on Moving Activity-Based Approaches to Practice and the US National Academy of Sciences Committee for Determination of the State of the Practice in Metropolitan Area Travel Forecasting as well as on numerous travel demand peer review assignments. His research interests include: integrated land use transportation modelling; analysis of the relationship between urban form and travel behaviour; modelling transportation system energy use and emissions; and microsimulation modelling. He is the developer of GTAModel, a “best practice” regional travel demand modeling system; TASHA, a state-of-the-art activity-based travel microsimulation model; and ILUTE, an integrated land use – travel demand model system for the GTA. He is co-author of the textbook Urban Transportation Planning: A Decision-Oriented Approach, the second edition of which was published in 2001.

Admission is free and all are welcome. Please RSVP here.

The TORONTO IN QUESTION lecture series: As a complex and diverse city in a large, dynamic region, Toronto has always offered exciting possibilities, but it is also confronted by challenges. The University of Toronto Cities Centre is offering an opportunity for Torontonians, both in and outside the University, to discuss and learn about some of the most important issues facing the City in a series of monthly sessions beginning in October 2011. Topics include: finance; transportation; city building; gentrification/inequalities; citizen participation; culture and the arts. At each session a University researcher and an urban practitioner will initiate a general discussion and suggest future courses of action.

Upcoming Lectures in the Series

“City Building” Speakers: Ken Greenberg and Dr. Larry Bourne. November 29.

“Whose City? Inequality and Gentrification” Speakers: David Miller and Dr. David Hulchanski. January 24.

“Who Governs? City Hall and Citizen Participation” Speakers: Adam Vaughan and Dr. Richard Stren. February 28.

“Who Needs Arts and Culture in Toronto?” Speakers: John Ralston Saul and Dr. Mark Kingwell. March 27.

For more information, please contact Rei Marzoughi at rei.marzoughi (a) utoronto.ca.

To subscribe to our listserv, please email citiescentre@utoronto.ca.

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