Building a liveable City in a Changing Climate

1
Building a liveable City in a Changing Climate
VII Carfree Cities Conference

• For whom are we planning?
• Priorities in the street space

Istanbul, 29 August, 2007
Ole Thorson, Civil Engineer, Dr. Director of
INTRA s.l. Vice-president of P(A)T President of
IFP
2
Content

• Presentation
• Mobility Legislation
• Importance of the externalities
• Insufficiency of supply
• Modal Split in urban areas
• Pedestrian needs
• Access to public transport
• Basic and local network
• Living Streets

3
0. Presentation (1)

• In many European countries, and specially in
  Spain, we are a long away from the Kyoto
  objectives. Spain 50 .
• Many cities around the world start using systems
  of limitation of the free car use Environmental
  Zones, zones with charge, charge for parking,
  priority for pedestrians, cyclists and public
  transport passenger.
• In part of northern European cities we plan our
  activities dependent on public transport offer
  and time schedule (civic thinking). In southern
  Europe many think in terms of immediate and
  individual.

4
Catalan and European organizations of Mobility
FEVR. Fed. Europea de Víctimas
5
0. Presentación (2)

• Mobility planning requires that politicians and
  technicians think and plan for a more human
  mobility with less energy cost.
• This may imply
• The initial study for each project requires first
  a proposal on the needs for pedestrians, cyclists
  and public transport passengers.
• Each infrastructure project related to mobility
  must include a project for operation and
  management of public transport in the itinerary.
• Every project for a street or road must include
  actual and future data on pedestrians, public
  transport passengers and cyclists, to assure
  priority in the incorporation of their needs.
• Think Pedestrian, is one of the first needs for
  local Politicians and planers.

6
0. Presentación (3)

• Public transport is much safer than private.
  Depending on the country between 10 and 30 times.
  
• The number of persons per private car is
  decreasing. In Catalunya at the moment it is only
  1.2 per/veh.
• In the city centres the majority of the trips are
  on foot.
• A great part of the citizens do not have a
  drivers licence, so they have the right to an
  adequate public transport.
• The public space is for persons moving. No right
  to park on-street should be admitted in any
  street or square.
• The externalities created by the mobility should
  be reduced. Drivers do not pay for an important
  part of the cost caused to society when moving.
  (Emissions, noise, injuries, energy etc.)
• Not only traffic kills emissions too.

7
1. Mobility Act in Catalunya (1)

• The mobility Act in Catalunya approved in June
  2003.
• Principles Accessibility for all in the whole
  territory. Economic participation of promoters in
  public transport in new areas. Priority for
  transport means with minor environmental cost.
  Safe transport.
• Objectives of the Law. Sustainability and Safety.
  Guarantee all trips to work and education.
• National Directives on Mobility (2006). Basic
  indicators for future mobility. (efficient, safe,
  healthy, quality of life, sustainability, social
  equality).
• Resolution on generated Mobility (2006) (Each
  land use promotor shall Elaborate a mobility
  study, pay the incremental cost of public
  transport, Demonstrate a balance in emissions).
• Metropolitan areas and mayor municipalities must
  present and renew mobility plans in accordance
  with the objectives of the Law.
• Each study and plan shall provide facilities for
  pedestrians and cyclists.

8
1. Mobility Legislation in Catalunya (2)

• All roads in 16 municipalities around Barcelona
  (also motorways) include a 80 km/h speed limit
  from this autumn.
• In a greater zone 90 km/h shall be imposed.
• Emission balance (on negative) for particles and
  NOx has been introduced for new land use in 40
  municipalities of the Barcelona area.
• Catalan Traffic Safety Plans, 2002/04 2005/07,
  each with 15 of death as objective. Plan
  2008/10 with 20 less.
• One action line Help Municipalities to conceive
  Safety plans. 40 have been finished for mayor and
  medium cities.
• Most Catalan municipalities have Local Agenda 21
  approved. The transport part with sustainable
  objectives.

9
2. Importance of the externalities (1)
Priority for car drivers at intersections
Pedestrians walk straight on. Detours are not
effective and, furthermore, they are dangerous.
If it is not easy, handsome and safe to walk,
people shall decide to use car or motorbike for
the trips.
10
2. Importance of the externalities (3)

• Environmental or ecologic traffic Volume
• The physical capacity of cars in a street should
  not be the normal design value for streets, as
  used in most actual street schemes. It is
  resulting too problematic for environment,
  residents and pedestrians.
• In the future a definition of an Environmental
  Capacity or Ecological capacity in each street
  will be needed. It may depend on the parameters
• Street safety
• Noise level
• Emissions (Particles)
• of sidewalk Nº of pedestrians
• The environmental volume depends also on number
  of users of the street (residents, employees in
  offices, shops clients etc.)

11
3. Insufficiency of supply (2)

• The Bus Stops could not only give bus time tables
  and service in the right hours, but the stop must
  also be accessible, comfortable and safe.
• The Access to the stop and its equipment is
  essential for the acceptance and use.

12
4. Modal Split 2006 (2)
2006, All mobility in Catalunya
13
4. Modal Split (3)
All trips in Barcelona, 2004
14
4. Modal Split (4)
Possible street schemes for cities

• After preference for bus, cyclists and
  pedestrians, no through traffic or long access
  traffic

Central streets preference for bus, pedestrians
Before Roads through city centre
In many towns the access traffic is important.
Should be diverted from direct access to centre
Sustainable area many pedestrians
15
4. Modal Split (6)

• Mobility planning, to achieve basic objectives,
  continue with
• Fixing more detailed objectives for number of
  admitted kilometres driven by cars, Total
  emissions permitted in future, total injured in
  traffic accidents, maximum noise levels in types
  of streets, minimum space for pedestrians etc.
• Division in the street network in Basic and local
  streets. The basic (25 of the network) with 50
  km/h permitted and local streets (75 of the
  streets) with only 30 Km/h.
• Street planning start from the facades.
• In Basic streets, sidewalks should be
  continuous. Pedestrians should stay in their own
  level.

16
10. Modal Split (7)

• The City can control the internal traffic
  volumes and those attracted from other
  municipalities by regulation of the number of
  parking lots and access lanes.
• The exported traffic depend on the situation in
  other municipalities. Parking offer and cost,
  public transport etc.
• To meet objectives on reduction of total
  kilometres driven in the urban streets,
  agreements are needed with other local
  administrations. Special transport planning is
  needed in Industrial Areas

17
5. Pedestrian needs (2)

• Parameters for dimensions of urban streets The
  Pedestrians.
• The project of a street start with the
  definition of the space the pedestrians need, to
  walk, to stay and to wait for bus or for
  crossing .
• A sidewalk should not be narrower than 3.00 m
• (3 lanes, and space for obstacles, signals etc.)
• Too many responsables still negociate the
  sidewalk width with narrow minds
• Less emissions, less noise and more safety need
  narrower lanes and lower speeds for traffic.
• So, streets with less than 9 metres between
  facades should be with unified pavement and
  maximum speeds of 20 km/h.

18
5. Pedestrian needs (3)
Pedestrians or cars? The wall effect will
invite possible users and clients to search for
service in other environments.
When sidewalk has less than 2.00 m free and
parking, more than 70 of the pedestrians shall
use the sidewalk without parking.
19
5. Pedestrian Needs (4)
The citizens require often help to suppurate
slopes and change of level
20
5. Pedestrian Needs (5)

EU Project
21
5. Pedestrian Needs (6)

• In 2006 the International Charter for walking
  was approved during the 7th International
  Conference on Walking in Melbourne.
• The principal chapters refer to
  Walk21)
• 1. Increased inclusive mobility, 2. Well
  designed and managed spaces and places for
  people, 3. Improved integration of networks, 4.
  Supportive land-use and spatial planning, 5.
  Reduced road danger, 6. Less crime and fear of
  crime, 7. More supportive authorities, 8. A
  culture of walking
• The Municipalities which ratify the Charter
  include an important piece of mobility planning
  in the work of the Municipality. A declared
  policy on taking into account pedestrian needs
  help, on all levels, for a more sustainable and
  safe mobility.
• This declaration can also be complemented with
  the acceptance of the European Pedestrian Charter
  (European Parliament, 1988)

22
Visión Global Movilidad Sostenible
6. Access to public transport (1)

• If it is not to comfortable walk to the bus stop
  or station, passengers will decrease.
• Each road project require a parallel and included
  project for the management and financing of the
  public transport.
• The public transport is a mobility chain and must
  be planned and managed as so Part on foot,
  public vehicle, transfer etc.
• A close collaboration between all administrations
  and operators is essential for the success.
• Urban street projects shall include an Audit for
  accessibility, and pedestrian and passenger
  needs.
• Municipal technicians need courses on projecting
  for user needs including pedestrians, cyclists
  and passengers with priority
• Industrial areas should have a mobility manager.
  

23
7. Parking and distribution (1)

• Cars nicely parked in pedestrian space. Owners
  are working. This limit pedestrian movements. And
  pull persons moving sustainable, in direction of
  the car use.

24
7. Parking and distribution (2)

• Somebody think that if you can not arrive in
  private vehicle everywhere, there shall be
  economic recession.
• Areas and streets with good walking and
  environmental quality has showed that this
  relation dos not exist.
• Central streets are basically for pleasant
  walking, while shopping or strolling. Local
  streets need sufficient pedestrian space.
• So we can formulate the sentence Nobody has
  right to park on street. And if he park, he must
  at least - pay for this offer.
• The economic activities can subsidise parking,
  but not in the public space. They can not ask the
  society to offer space which is needed by other
  citizens.

25
8. Local and arterial network (1)

• It is not needed - more a bad habit that
  permitted maximum speed is 50 km/h in by near all
  streets.
• The first or last hundred meters the driver can
  advance with lower speed Recommended 30 km/h
• Therefore, we invite to divide the street
  network in arterials (25 ) with 50 km/h and
  local (75 of the streets) where speed should be
  lowered to 30 or 20 km/h.
• The local network can be grouped in
  environmental zones.

26
9. Areas with traffic calming (1)

• Drivers and pedestrians must be able to
  distinguish the type of street where they find
  themselves from the physic design and to know
  which speed the street permit.
• There are many ways of transmitting this vision.
• The arterial streets (50 km/h) must fulfil the
  basic rules to help pedestrians and handicapped
  Large pavements (min 3 m) pedestrian crossings
  every 100 m, and situated in the walking line for
  the pedestrians.
• In arterial streets All crossing points should
  be protected with light signal on demand. In
  these streets other physical speed reducers
  should not be used.

27
9. Areas with traffic calming (2)

• Between arterial streets (25) Environmental
  zones could be designed by
• Situation of change between arterial and
  local street.
• Use of continuos pavements along the
  arterial streets.
• Short stretches in one direction in local
  streets.
• Dificulties in driving through an
  environmental area. Access but not through.
• Only traditional street with kerbs when
  more than 9 metres between fachades. Possible
  parking requiere at least 11 m.
• Facilities to cross arterial streets.

28
9. Areas with traffic calming (3)
Narrowing or elevating carriageway help to
control speeds in local streets. Measures not
to be used in arterial streets.
Continuous pavements along arterials as Access to
local streets reduce speed in the later ones and
define clearly the difference.
29
9. Areas with traffic calming (4)
PACIFICACIÓ DEL TRÀNSIT
Áreas ambientales
Área Zona 30
Área residencial
Área proridad invertida
Área verde
Área deportiva
Área escolar/equip.
Área industrial
Jerarquización red viaria
Ronda
Red básica
Red local
Red vecinal
Plan de áreas ambientales
Plan general para la movilidad en Amposta
30
9. Areas with traffic calming (5)
Changes in the centre of Amposta (15.000 inh.)
31
9. Areas with traffic calming (6)
32
9. Areas with traffic calming (7)
Elevated platform in intersection in 30 km zone
33
9. Areas with traffic calming (8)
Example of entry point in 20 km zone.

• Street with priority for pedestrians can be put
  on scene fairly cheap
• The pedestrian has always priority
• Maximum speed 20 km/h.
• Share road space between pedestrians, cyclists
  and drivers

34
9. Areas with traffic calming (9)
35
9. Areas with traffic calming (10)
Posibles actuaciones de diseño
Isleta central, cambio del eje de los carriles
Paso de peatones con alumbrado especial
36
10. Cyclists (1)

• The use of Bicycle is becoming fashion in our
  cities. It is an image of sustainability
• Many cities work more the bicycle mode than
  walking.
• Cycling is the most energy efficient way of
  moving but walking come fairly close and there
  are much more pedestrians.
• The definition of 30 km/h zones give many
  possibilities for cyclists and drivers to share
  road space in a safe way, and offer more quality
  to the pedestrians

37
10. Cyclists (2)
Espacio que fomenta la calidad
38
Final Comments

• We all have to collaborate for achieving a more
  sustainable and safe mobility.
• Each project in the public space and for
  mobility should start with achieve all data on
  mobility (Pedestrians, PT passengers, cyclists
  and drivers) and the project of the space start
  with the pedestrian needs.
• All projects should imply a definition and
  financiation of management of public transport
  related.
• We should offer the possibility for walk and
  use of bicycle and public transport instead
  thinking on needs for car use.
• In the car. Drive defensively and in an economic
  way. Do not speed.
• THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION