The Transit Metropolis

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The Transit Metropolis
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What is a Transit Metropolis?

• Transit metropolis is a region where a workable
  fit exists between transit services and urban
  form
• Perhaps compact mixed use development well suited
  to rail
• Perhaps flexible bus services well suited to
  dispersed development
• Viewed as a paradigm for sustainable regional
  development

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Types of Transit Metropolises

• Adaptive Cities- transit oriented cities that
  have invested in rail systems to guide urban
  growth and achieve larger societal objectives
• Such as preserving open space, producing
  affordable housing in rail served communities
• All feature compact mixed use suburban
  communities and new towns concentrated around
  rail nodes
• Examples Stockholm, Tokyo, Singapore and
  Copenhagen

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Types of Transit Metropolises

• Adaptive Transit- places that have accepted
  spread out low density patterns of growth
• Seek to appropriately adapt transit services and
  new technologies to these environments
• Karlsruhe (dual track systems) Adelaide (track
  guided buses) and Mexico City (small vehicle
  entrepreneurial services)

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Types of Transit Metropolises

• Strong Core Cities- integrating transit and urban
  development within a more confined central city
  context
• Provide integrated tram services around mixed
  traffic tram and light rail system
• Trams designed into streetscapes and coexist with
  pedestrian and bicycle traffic
• Examples Zurich and Melbourne

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Types of Transit Metropolises

• Hybrid adaptive cities and adaptive transit
• Create workable balance between concentrating
  development along main line transit corridors and
  adapting transit to serve their spread out
  suburbs and exurbs
• Munich-heavy rail trunk line services, light rail
  and conventional bus services have strengthened
  central city while also serving suburban growth
  axes

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Forming the Transit Metropolis Complementary
Demand Side Approaches

• Transportation Demand Management- aims to make
  more efficient use of transport resources already
  in place by shifting demand (to carpools) or
  eliminate trips (telecommuting) inefficient
  parking space- more efficient management parking
  availability dissuades use of public transit

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Forming the Transit Metropolis Complementary
Demand Side Approaches

• Restraints on Automobile Use- traffic calming
  local streets belong to residents- barriers, etc
  
• Banning traffic from downtown areas
• License plate will determine when auto can enter
  the CBD

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Forming the Transit Metropolis Complementary
Demand Side Approaches

• Regulation of Auto Performance- improve
  performance rather than attempt to change travel
  behavior
• Re-engineer cars to improve fuel efficiency (GM,
  etc and move to hybrid vehicles)
• Lower emissions- Clean Air Act

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Forming the Transit Metropolis Complementary
Demand Side Approaches

• Setting the Right Prices- Proper pricing
  eliminates the need for heavy handed controls
  over car use and public intervention into private
  land markets
• Congestion fees, carbon taxes and parking
  surcharges
• Higher motoring fees will people over time move
  closer to jobs and transit stops to economize on
  travel?
• Elitist view and unrealistic to charge more??

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Forming the Transit Metropolis Complementary
Supply Side Approaches

• Advanced Technologies- GPS systems to avoid
  congestion spots and eliminate need to travel
  smart roadways-automatically adjust traffic
  signals
• Telecommunications- e-commerce and virtual
  shopping
• Nonmotorized transport- bicycle facilities and
  provisions