Graduate Studies, UNL
Embargoed Master's Theses
First Advisor
Elizabeth G. Jones
Committee Members
Abigail Cochran, Wissam Kontar
Date of this Version
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Citation
A thesis resented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science
Major: Civil Engineering
Under the supervision of Professor Elizabeth G. Jones
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 2025
Abstract
Movement of people and goods in urban areas through different modes of transportation including walking, cycling, public transit and by autos is termed as urban mobility. Urban mobility presents significant environmental, social, and economic challenges for cities worldwide as they grapple with the impacts of conventional transportation systems, particularly in North America context where car-centric planning approaches has dominated urban developments since 1950s. Car-centric dominance is 80% in North American Metropolitan areas (Manaugh et al., 2015). The impacts of these conventional systems include greenhouse gas emission emissions contributing approximately 24% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, air pollution causing respiratory diseases, and transportation inequity limiting access to employment and services for low-income populations (Oswald Beiler, 2021) This study explores the implementation of Complete Streets and multimodal transport approaches as pathways toward sustainable urban mobility. Focusing on Lincoln, the research examines how these strategies can enhance safety, accessibility, equity, and environmental sustainability, drawing comparative insights from global best practices via literature review.
Complete Streets policies prioritize inclusivity by designing roadways accommodating all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and transit riders. Multimodal transport systems aim to integrate various transportation modes, promoting seamless transitions and reducing reliance on private vehicles. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, primarily combining a comprehensive literature review with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial analysis. Existing infrastructure data layers for Lincoln include designated Complete Streets corridors, bicycle trails, on-street bike lanes, and bike share locations were overlaid with demographic data such as population density and poverty levels to assess the current transportation landscape and identify disparities.
Findings reveal that Lincoln, Nebraska’s Complete Streets initiatives and robust bicycle facilities (trails, lanes, bike share) are generally distributed in a way that can help those with lower income levels use transportation modes not exclusively focused on automobiles. The analysis also indicates a positive correlation between the presence of complete streets and higher rates of micromobility usage, specifically cycling, highlighting their potential role in fostering sustainable transportation habits.
Advisor: Elizabeth G. Jones
Comments
Copyright 2025, Oliva Richard Kilyenyi. Used by permission