Presented by Nicole JensenTransportation Planner, The City of Calgary

nicole.jensen@calgary.ca

Calgary Walk To Work Challenge

THE PROJECT

Pilot Project

Challenge people who drive to work to get out of their cars and walk all or part of the way.

Year-long challenge (Sept 2003 - Sept 2004)

PROJECT GOALS

Get people out of their cars and onto their feet

PROJECT GOALS

Learn what incentives are most valuable to participants

PROJECT GOALS

Transportation

Environment Health

PROJECT GOALS Have Fun!

MAKING IT HAPPEN - Partners Local

Gord’s Running Store Calgary Cardiovascular Network Calgary and District Be Fit for Life Centre

Provincial Climate Change Central

Federal Environment Canada - Climate Change Action Fund

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Total Project Cost

$24,000

(vs. $720,000 for a similar project with bikes in Denmark)

MARKETING

Health

Incentives (aka ‘free stuff’)

WHO DID WE GET?

Participants started with 70 80% are women 55% between the ages of 35 and 49 41% work for the Calgary Health Region

INCENTIVES & INITIATIVES

One-on-one meetings

transit tickets gift certificate pathway/bikeway maps transit maps survey

pedometer

INCENTIVES & INITIATIVES

Kick Off Workshop

walking technique and pedometer instruction blood and cholesterol testing

nutrition information (and healthy lunch provided)

web logbook instruction resource binder

proper shoe fitting

INCENTIVES & INITIATIVES

Daily Travel Log

distance to and from work

mode used

monthly summary sheets

prizes for data entry

INCENTIVES & INITIATIVES

Workshops Core training

Email Contact

INCENTIVES & INITIATIVES

Weekend Urban Hikes

RESULTS - Overall

Reasons People Didn’t Walk To Work

NO TIME

CAR IS CONVENIENT

Save Money

Environment

Health Free Stuff

RESULTS - Overall

The #1 Reason People Joined the Program

Health

WANT TO BE MORE ACTIVE

Health

WANT TO BE MORE ACTIVE

RESULTS - Overall

#1 Reason People are Still Walking

Losing WeightEnvironmentLosing WeightEnvironment

RESULTS - Overall

67% of people are still walking 14% use alternatives to SOV 19% are back to driving

RESULTS - Overall

Over 20,000 kms walked

walking

transitcarpooling

Walking on 74% of the days

RESULTS - Multiple Modes

Participants used as many as 6 modes to travel to and from work

2,3 and 4 modes were most common

RESULTS - Incentives

1) Pedometer

2) Walking Technique and Shoe Fitting

3) Transit Tickets

Most Valuable

RESULTS - Obstacles

Work Related Weather Family Obligations Time

RESULTS - Logbook

15% entered data consistently General thoughts

cumbersome no feedback

Key Changes quick to enter data ability to review entries instant summaries

RESULTS - GHG

Greenhouse Gases Saved

5000 kgs

RESULTS - Goals

Met or Exceeded Goals

60% overall

88% of those still walking

RESULTS - Health

45% increase in perceived health, while 45% stayed the same.

Frequency of activity increased by 45% 60% increase in the length of physical activity

per day

RESULTS - Encourage Others

Walk to Work ChallengeWalk to Work Challenge

WHAT’S NEXT?

Party! Mid-October

Post-Program Survey

Integration into TDM programs employer-based city-wide

KEY MESSAGES

Comprehensive approach to alternatives Flexible program

lifestyles monitoring

Links between transportation, health and environment

THANK YOU…QUESTIONS?