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Help calm our cities |
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Do you ever get the feeling that higher concentration of motorized traffic might be the main contributing factor to road accidents, sickness and stress from air and noise pollution, deterioration of roads and bridges and decreasing overall quality of life in our cities? Why do these "sexy machines" seem to cause as much damage to us as "sexy smoking"?
One simple way to explain it is that motor vehicles are ideally designed to travel very long distances (like away from the city) at higher speeds (without stop & go obstacles) on large open roads (these growing machines now need highways to fit comfortably). On the other hand, cities are designed for short distance travel at lower speeds in tight residential areas where people are also trying to live. By their very nature, one is never going to coexist well within the other.
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Could the only way of redesigning a highly populated city to accommodate travel be to turn it into a highway? Of course not, where would we live? The only real way to turn a city green and coincidentally fast is to increase green modes of transportation! Decreasing use of passenger cars on our city's grid will not slow us down.
On the contrary, with local streets unclogged of personal automobiles, we could have a faster, more robust public transport system that really works; emergency vehicles could do their job unencumbered; and our individual choices of mass transit, cycling or walking could finally be safe and appealing. Most importantly, a much larger population would be empowered with manageable options for the good of the city. |
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How do we calm the current abuse to our bursting infrastructure? A good place to start is to look at the many successful cities that use positive incentives to leave the car at home. After all, would anyone still enjoy burning gas in traffic for hours if there was an easier way? Below are some ideas and ways to help create balanced change for the greater good of the inhabitants.
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Maybe one of the most effective ways to travel when living in a densely populated area is by bicycle. This was clearly demonstrated in China before cars were financially obtainable and association of cars with wealth prevailed. Not only is it most economical for the individual commuter but also for the budget conscious municipalities.
It can also be the most positive part of your day if done on safe, inviting streets and not just on recreational paths that alienate cyclists to city outskirts and don't fully perform a commuting function. Our major avenues can be inexpensively redesigned into ones like that pictured above in
Köln, Germany, along a major shopping boulevard. Here, commuting cyclists are able to travel safely and directly to their destinations while motorists are made keenly aware of them. Below are a few more details and observations. |
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| Buffer from street to protect cyclists from swerving cars or opening car doors. In dense cities like NYC this path would need to be wider and on both sides of street. Path is clearly outlined with colored tiles. |
Traffic lights on intersections specifically for pedestrians and cyclists. These lights should be timed with those for cars to prevent motor vehicles from making turns into crosswalks and cutting off those crossing. |
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| Frequent bike racks can happily exists between trees in buffer space separating bike path and sidewalk. Local businesses can use the attached banner to advertise and help upkeep the bike racks. A better rack design than that pictured above could also help bikes from tipping over. |
Clear road markings at intersections. Above example could be improved by horizontal white lines on pedestrian crossing (first pedestrian on left).The brown bike path connects to the second and third section on right (two pedestrians should not cross there). The fourth section is a car buffer. |
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Efficiency |
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There have been some automobile efficiency improvements in size and fuel consumption like the smart car, soon to be sold in the U.S. traveling at over 40 mpg, but that is nothing close to that of a bicycle. Based on energy consumed to travel, it has been estimated that a bicyclist travels at the equivalent of over 600 mpg and a pedestrian walks at over 200 mpg. Public transport can also be more efficient at over 100 mpg per passenger if fully utilized. Ultimately we can invent cleaner cars but all of us still can't afford to buy one and get on the inner city streets because we just would not fit, no matter how many streets are built over parks, sidewalks and public playgrounds.
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How you can help: |
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For a more civilized living environment, where everyone has a viable means of transportation, we need to improve sustainable alternatives. There is an organization that works on these obtainable goals every day. Transportation Alternatives has been a leading voice for positive change, exposing the problems and bringing community groups and government agencies to the planning table. Please go to their website www.transalt.org and read about current exciting projects. Your help or contribution to these projects could make an enormous difference in how enjoyable city life can become. |
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