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Transport as a Tool for Urban DesignProblems, Better Processes, Best Practices

Urban Transportation PlanningMIT Course 1.252j/11.380j

Fall 2002

Mikel Murga, MIT Research Associate

October 11, 2001

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Urban Transportation Planning Fall 2002

Day 6

Transport as a Tool for Urban Design

! Transport and Land Uses! Problems

! Solutions! Best Practices

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Transport and Land Uses

! Let us design a new freeway! Present traffic on existing roads?! Design speed? Desired LOS? Budget?

! But! How many new dwellings will be built nearby?! How many office bldgs? Technology parks?

! How many parking places are needed?

! What size for the new shopping center?! ??

! From road builders to urban planners!

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Day 6

Transport and Land Uses

! Thanks to

J.Kenworthy and F.Laube TheMillennium Cities.Data base forSustainableTransportsponsored by the

UITP, we knowthat someparameters arevery critical

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Urban Density is critical

Source ISTP-UITP

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The higher the density, the higher

the percentage of sustainable modes

U.S.A.

Western Europe

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Job density is also a critical parameter

As Joel Garreau says(The Edge Cities),when the presidentmoves to thesuburbs, he takes

the office along

Source ISTP-UITP

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Percentage of non-motorized trips

correlated withdensity andmixed uses

Source ISTP-UITP

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The automobile will govern if

Source ISTP-UITP

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Economic efficiency

Source ISTP-UITP

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The cost of a balanced system

Economic sustainability

U.S.A.

Western Europe

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The high price of road fatalities

U.S.A.

Western Europe.

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Problems

! Triggers:! Housing density

! Suburban job centers

! Segregation of land uses

! Parking availability and cost

! Results:! Unbalanced modal split! Increased economic, environmental and social

costs

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Day 6

Better Processes

! Transport projects opportunities:! Development (macro):

! Strategic and long-term

! Examples like Curitiba, Toronto, Stockholm

! Self-containment vs dispersal

! Urban growth along axes through zoning and land-use incentives

! Rehabilitation (micro):! Tactical, short term but also effective

! In-fill development vs new demand management

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Better Processes

! Development (macro):!

Curitiba as an example

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Better Processes

! Rehabilitation (micro):! It can be implemented rather quickly

! Local actions spilling over the metropolitan scale

! Zrichs per capita transit trips above Curitibas

! Any transport project however minor canbe approached as an improvementopportunity, for instance:! Improving a traffic intersection and

! The excuse of a new Light Rail

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Day 6

A traffic intersection

Town of Amorebieta, Basque Country, Spain

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Again, nothing like simulation

!Although traffic analyses per se will not

stop traffic growth

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A traffic intersection

Espacios existentes

Espacios peatonales ganados ( 1.600 M2 )

ESPACIOS PEATONALES

Espacios existentes

Espacios peatonales ganados ( 1.600 M2 )

ESPACIOS PEATONALES

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Transit

Opportunity forurban

rehabilitation

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The power of a LRT project

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Strasbourg

New public spaces around the LRT

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Zrich

A true success story, thanks to full priority, strict

parking policies and pedestrian schemes

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Or simply just closing off a street

Courtesy of Jan Gehl

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or removing some parking spots


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The benefits of a few extra turns for the cars

City Hall in Copenhagen


U b T i Pl i F ll 2002

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Transport Solutions

! Car Parking:

! Critical for modal split! To be seen in a wider context than just on-

site provision! Complementary measures (pedestrian

improvements, transit) a must

! On-site parking to distinguish betweenshoppers and commuters

U b T t ti Pl i F ll 2002

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Transport Solutions

! Park-Ride facilities:

!Visible, well signed and secure!Again to be seen in a larger context

! It should not preclude high-densitydevelopment near rail stations

! Price should be lower than downtown

! Shuttle service of prime quality: frequentservice, priority to reach downtown fasterthan by car (similar to an airport car rental shuttle)

U b T t ti Pl i F ll 2002

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Transport Solutions

! Traffic Management:

! Traffic Calming a first step:! It fosters more convivial public spaces

! It triggers a new relationship betweenpedestrians and cars

! It facilitates biking

!

Other steps:! To divert through traffic

! Priority for bus or LRT service


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Transport Solutions

! Pedestrians and

Cyclists:! O-D pathing

! Road crossings

! Street furniture! Traffic calming

!

Balanced activitiesthroughout the day

! Public activities


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Best Practices

! The Netherlands ABC location policy:! Locations:

!A: main transit hub few parking - downtown

! B: district center or small town bus junction

! C: Not served by transit!Activities:

!A: People intensive land uses

! B: Commercial and service activities with lowturnout (e.g..: car sales, furniture dealers)

! C: Goods intensive uses


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Best practices

! West Midlands Regional Planning Guidance:

! Development within existing urban fabric! Maximize re-use of vacant and derelict sites

! Maximize use of existing infrastructure

! Strong support for public transport! Measures to control car congestion in town centers

! Coordination of strategic parking requirements

! Strong support for pedestrian and cyclists facilities


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Best practices

! The priorities of the City of York Council:

! Pedestrians! People with disabilities

! Cyclists

! Public Transport passengers! Commercial and business vehicles

! Car-borne shoppers

! Coach-borne visitors

! Car-borne long-stay commuters


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Best practices

! The resulting measures in the City of York:

! Strict parking policy! 5 park-and-ride sites

! Reallocation of road space among buses, cyclists

and pedestrians! Traffic calming measures: 30 mph on major radials

and 20 mph, elsewhere

! Safe and continuous cycle network! Implementation of a pedestrian route network

throughout the city


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Best Practices

! Global Vision, Local Action

! Dont let the global vision rob you fromopportunities for local change

! Local change, however limited, is important:! We need early winners to jumpstart a new process

! Small changes may become showcases

!

Dont forget we need a new model! To start a process more effective

than relying only on end-state planning


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Day 6

Upon starting a process, remember Jane JacobsSystems of Survival

! Commercial Syndrome! Shun force

! Come to voluntary agreements! Be honest

! Collaborate easily with strangers andaliens

! Compete! Respect contracts

! Use initiative and enterprise

! Be open to inventiveness and novelty

! Be efficient! Promote comfort and convenience

! Dissent for the sake of the task

! Invest for productive purposes

! Be industrious! Be thrifty

! Be optimistic

! Guardian Syndrome! Shun trading

! Exert prowess! Be obedient and disciplined

! Adhere to tradition

! Respect hierarchy

! Be loyal! Take vengeance

! Deceive for the sake of the task

! Make rich use of leisure

! Be ostentatious! Dispense largesse

! Be exclusive

! Show fortitude

! Be fatalistic! Treasure honor


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Day 6

A Closing Thought

Do we have to resign ourselves to the

role of the frog1? Or, can we act now?1 See MITs Peter Senge The Fifth Discipline

Documents

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