Mobility justice or transit boosterism? The use of rail transit as an urban transformation strategy in Kitchener, Canada, and Malmö, Sweden

Abstract

Many cities and countries have embraced transit-oriented development as an international growth management approach, shifting trips from car-oriented to transit. But in this race to become more sustainable, who is being left out? Using mobility justice as a theoretical framework, this paper presents a qualitative comparison between Malmö, Sweden, and Kitchener, Canada, two mid-sized cities where new rail-based infrastructure was completed in 2019. Using over 40 interviews with local residents, business owners and staff, planners, and private sector developers in each city, we found that transportation improvements have created unequal transport mobilities. In both cities, new transportation infrastructure did not improve travel times or access to transit for existing users; in Kitchener, local changes to make way for the new LRT had negative effects on the neighborhood, and bus transit times increased, while in Malmö bus services remained the same as the new train was barely used. This detachment of transportation needs from infrastructure is necessary for local and state politicians to promote new infrastructure as a branding approach. We call this transit boosterism.