Space/Time Mapping of Urban Transit: Isochrones, Car Dependency and Mode Choice in Melbourne

Everyday urban life involves multiple choices of transport mode, route path and time budgets as individuals seek to move between places and projects in various parts of any city. In this paper we map the time/space zones of accessibility from any given location (isochrones) as a means to understand the ways we make choices between modes-a space/time phenomenology of everyday mobility. Harvesting data from Google Maps and other internet sources we map four primary transport modes-car, public transport, walking and cycling-and the inevitable mix between them. Within frameworks of transit-oriented development and assemblage theory we seek to understand the morphological and infrastructural conditions under which people may choose public transport and active modes of walking and cycling over the private car.