The Transportation and Health Transdisciplinary Research Hub at the University of Calgary is built around four interconnected research pillars that collectively address the complex relationships between mobility, health, and equity. Together, these pillars create a foundation for innovation, collaboration, and impact across disciplines and communities.
Pillar 1: Mobility Equity & Access
This pillar focuses on ensuring that all individuals, regardless of geography, income, age, or ability, have equitable access to safe, reliable, and affordable transportation. Researchers are examining barriers faced by underserved populations, including rural, Indigenous, aging, and low-income communities, and developing data-informed strategies to enhance mobility options. The goal is to design inclusive transportation systems that promote social participation, improve access to essential services such as health care and employment, and reduce systemic inequities in mobility and health outcomes.
Pillar 2: Social, Economic & Environmental Impacts of Transport on Health
Transportation systems influence population health through their social, economic, and environmental effects. This pillar investigates how travel patterns, infrastructure, and technology contribute to or mitigate negative outcomes such as traffic injuries and fatalities, air and noise pollution, productivity losses, and greenhouse gas emissions. By integrating engineering analysis, public health data, and economic evaluation, researchers aim to inform sustainable policy and infrastructure decisions that protect the environment while improving public health and community well-being.
Pillar 3: Digital Innovation & Decision Support
Leveraging advances in artificial intelligence, simulation, and digital twin technologies, this pillar develops innovative tools to support data-driven transportation and health planning. Projects include building a digital twin for health access, a virtual model that integrates mobility, demographic, and health system data to simulate and optimize real-world decisions. Researchers are also developing AI-driven models to predict travel demand and health service accessibility, as well as agent-based simulations for emergency preparedness and policy evaluation. These tools will empower policymakers and practitioners with actionable insights for building resilient and equitable transportation systems.
Pillar 4: Transport, Land Use & Population Health Interactions
This pillar explores how the design of cities, through transportation networks, land use, and urban form, affects population health over time. Researchers are developing new health assessment metrics and analytical frameworks to evaluate the impacts of planning and policy interventions on physical activity, access to care, air quality, and overall well-being. By linking urban design, transportation planning, and health outcomes, this pillar supports evidence-based decision-making that promotes active, connected, and healthy communities.
