Mobility Isn’t Enough, We Need Better Accessibility | Interview with David Levinson

This episode is produced in partnership with the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney

Prof. David Levinson joined the University of Sydney from the University of Minnesota in 2017 as Foundation Professor in Transport Engineering. He conducts research on Accessibility, Transport Economics, Transport Network Evolution, and Transport and Land Use Interaction. He is the Founding Editor of the Journal of Transport and Land Use and of Findings.

What you’ll learn:

• The meaning of accessibility. How it differs from mobility, how to measure it, and why it should be the core goal of transport planning.

• How land use and transport are inseparable. And why treating them as separate problems leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.

• The accessibility trade-offs of major projects and policy. How initiatives create winners and losers in access, and what that reveals about policy priorities.

• Why speed isn’t everything. Reaching more destinations versus moving faster, and how this shapes city design and property values.

• How small design choices shape behaviour. Traffic signal timings can encourage or discourage walking, cycling, or driving.