ITDP India

Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide

InFocus: Leading the way for sustainable transport

by

ITDP brings you a monthly digest of sustainable transport and urban development news from around the world. From Ahmedabad’s new transit-oriented master plan to Paris’ plans to restrict car use, this January 2015, InFocus takes a look at what leaders around the world are doing to improve their cities.

Ahmedabad commissioner outlines plans for a congestion-free city

Ahmedabad’s path to become a people-oriented city began in 2009 with implementation of the Janmarg bus rapid transit system, followed by the creation of a transit-and people-oriented master plan. In an article for India Today, D.Thara, Municipal Commissioner, reflects on the journey so far and the way forward.

Chennai mayor says ‘NO’ to building flyovers

Recognising that flyovers are not the solution to traffic problems, Saidai S Duraisamy, Mayor of Chennai, declares that the city corporation will not build any more flyovers. Times of India reports.

Paris mayor announces plans for a car-free city centre

Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, plans to tackle traffic and pollution in the French capital by restricting car use and building cycle tracks in the city’s historic centre. Citylab reports on the details.

A growing number of mayors in the US push for better cycling policy

From obvious health benefits to bridging social divides and providing last mile connectivity, cycling is increasingly seen as an important component of urban transport. StreetsblogUSA talks to mayors from Philadelphia, Memphis and other cities in the US to find out reasons for their interest in investing in cycling.

Related News

More News >

Social Innovations for the Future: Transport in Smart Cities

Rainbow BRT in pune region

by

India is urbanising at an unprecedented rate. A third of the country’s population—an estimated 380 million people—now lives in its cities. As they cope with this growth, cities are realising that traditional solutions like wider roads and flyovers will not provide a lasting solution to their transport problems. Instead, smart cities the world over are turning toward mass rapid transit systems to provide high quality, efficient mobility. These efforts are the focus of the latest episode of NDTV’s special feature, “Social Innovations for the Future.” The programme explores ways that India’s best practice mass rapid transit solutions—Ahmedabad’s Janmarg BRT system and the Delhi metro—are helping to tackle congestion, reduce pollution, and improve safety.

“The best cities of the world typically have over 40 per cent of all trips by public transport” observes Shreya Gadepalli, Regional Director with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in the interview, calling for greater investment in public transport to ensure efficient, dependable, and accessible-to-all service. ITDP estimates that a smart city needs 30-35 km of rapid transit, 200-500 city buses and 80 km of walking and cycling infrastructure for every million urban residents. These infrastructure improvements should be paired with demand management practices, especially parking management, to control the use of personal motor vehicles. As India strives to create smart cities, budget allocations must give priority to walking, cycling, and public transport over personal motor vehicles.

This special feature also includes thoughts of Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Urban Development, Government of India; Mr. Jagan Shah, Director of the National Institute of Urban Affairs; and Mr. O. P. Agarwal, Director General of the Institute of Urban Transport (India).

Related News

More News >

Whose city is it anyway? A people and transit-oriented approach to city building

by

by Ranga Rohini C

In keeping with the goal of increasing public transport usage from 41 to 70 per cent of all motorised trips, Chennai has been investing in various rapid transit projects. While much of this investment is being made in the urban core, most large-scale development is happening in peripheral areas where transit access is scarce. The result is greater dependence on private vehicles, more time spent stuck in traffic, and inefficient use of our transit resources. This begs the question: are new rapid transit lines enough to build and sustain patronage? What does it mean to have a transit-oriented city?

Our present approach to city building is decidedly car-oriented. Though only 6 per cent of trips are made by cars, we regulate building activities based on the ease of accessing a property by car. Denser development is allowed on wider roads. Trips are expected to happen on private vehicles, so development norms stipulate the minimum number of parking spaces that buildings must provide.

The existing paradigm is making the city less and less affordable. As Chennaiites become richer, per capita consumption of floor space has increased. With residential prices skyrocketing within city limits, many families are forced to shift to unserviced, peripheral areas to find lower cost housing. These areas are farther away from employment, education, and recreational opportunities.

Transit-oriented development offers a new approach to city building. This approach recognises that our city will remain in gridlock unless we ensure that new development happens in areas with good access to public transport. It also recognises that we must revitalise the core areas of our city, using redevelopment to bring improved public amenities and new life to transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

If we want to increase the supply of affordable, well-located housing, higher built densities must be allowed. Regulations must encourage the redevelopment of serviced land that is vacant or underutilised. A case in point is Ahmedabad, which permits an FSI of 4 to 5.4 along its 88 km bus rapid transit (BRT) network, as compared to an FSI of 2.7 in the rest of the city.

Ahmedabad’s Development Plan 2021 (left) allows an FSI of 4 in transit-oriented zones around BRT (shown in ochre) and Metro (shown in orange). Transit-oriented developments are characterised by built forms (right) that support street life.

To ensure that new buildings support street life, urban design guidelines must be adopted to ensure “eyes on the street.” Mixed-use buildings that open directly onto the street must be encouraged. Compound walls must be prohibited to improve general street conditions and deter public urination. A fine-grained street network with small block structure must be developed to enable direct access to rapid transit stations. Regulations can ensure that private developments contribute to a better public realm in return for enjoying the benefits of higher FSI.

A common concern is that higher density will lead to more traffic. Yet traffic results from vehicles, not density. Denser development that is supported by adequate walking, cycling, and public transport networks can actually reduce the use of private vehicles in the city. Transit-oriented areas require effective management and enforcement systems to regulate the use of street space. While the Corporation of Chennai is moving toward adoption of an advanced IT-based on-street parking system, the off street parking supply also must be limited to ensure that people shift to public transport.

Providing quality services and infrastructure throughout a sprawling city can be quite challenging. With a transit-oriented approach, provision of urban services can be prioritised and service delivery optimised. Higher revenue leveraged from this increased development potential can be used to finance strengthening and upgrading of infrastructure and service delivery in the local area.

As Chennai continues to grow, it must aim to be a compact city where residents live with within a half hour commute by public transport to any major destination in the city. Transit-oriented development is not a new concept. Ideas of living and walking to work have existed and continue to exist in Indian cities. Historic cores like Mylapore continue to be a destination for residents in the city, anchored by local landmarks, commerce and vibrant street life. We need to build on these traditions and use our new rapid transit systems to shift the focus of city building to people—and away from vehicles.

This article was adapted and published in Times of India.

Related News

More News >

Paving the Way for Smart Cities in India

by

Adapted from an article by Christopher Kost and Jaya Bharathi Bathmaraj in Times of India

The growing traffic problems in Indian cities call for urgent and effective remedies. Yet old-school “solutions” such as flyovers, wider roads, and elevated expressways actually make matters worse. Such infrastructure may provide a short-term illusion of relief from traffic woes, but by making it easier for people to use their own vehicles, new roads attract even more traffic and repeat the vicious cycle of congestion all over again.

Smart cities realize that the key to urban mobility is moving people, not vehicles. This means giving priority to the cleanest, most efficient modes: walking, cycling, and public transport.

To build the popular Cheonggyecheon Greenway in Seoul, the city torn down an elevated highway, replacing it with a vibrant public space.

Around the world, cities from Seoul to San Francisco are tearing down flyovers and replacing them with human scaled spaces that promote green modes of transport. In doing so, these cities have been able to reduce pollution, improve safety, and ensure that high quality public transport offers a meaningful alternative to sitting in traffic.

It’s time for Indian cities to do the same, and those in the State of Tamil Nadu should take the lead.

One of the fundamental requirements of a smart transport system is footpaths. In India, the Corporation of Chennai’s groundbreaking initiative to create high quality footpaths on the city’s major roads has shown that better designs can carve out space for broad, continuous walkways while streamlining the flow of traffic. In addition, Indian cities should invest in more dedicated walking spaces. Successful examples, such as the well-used pedestrian zone around the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai (photo above), should be replicated and expanded throughout the state and country.

The next key piece of redesigning India’s streets must be the rapid expansion of cycle tracks. Local bodies, the Highways Department, and other agencies that oversee the design of major streets all have a role to play in ensuring that every cycle journey is a safe one. Though the State of Tamil Nadu is a pioneer in the mass distribution of bicycles to schoolchildren, students often abandon their bikes for motorized scooters as they get older. India must build streets with dignified cycling facilities, allowing cycling to become a lifelong habit.

Rapid transit requirements in six major cities in the state of Tamil Nadu.

For longer-distance trips, Indian cities need fast, reliable mass transit to meet the growing demand for mobility. By international standards, our cities need 40 km of mass transit for every 10 lakh (one million) residents.

This means that the six largest cities in the State of Tamil Nadu require over 630 km of rapid transit. Currently there are only around 100 km—all of it in Chennai. At present rates, it would take two generations to build enough rapid transit!

We need to quickly scale up our ability to provide high capacity public transport corridors in all of the major urban centres in the state. One of the most cost effective options is bus rapid transit (BRT). BRT systems feature dedicated median lanes for buses, allowing commuters to bypass the congestion in mixed traffic lanes. BRT can be deployed quickly and at a fraction of the cost of rail-based systems.

Finally, as cities expand sustainable transport options, they need to do a better job of managing streets by ending free and subsidized parking. The cost of on-street parking should reflect the value of the public land that it occupies. The cities of Chennai and Coimbatore are showing the way through their initiatives to implement modern, IT-based parking management and enforcement systems. The revenue from parking fees can be plowed back into alternative transport initiatives, such as better streets and improved public transport.

To read the article click here.

Related News

More News >

Transit-Oriented Development in Pimpri Chinchwad

by

by C. Ranga Rohini, ITDP India

With an urbanization rate of over 40 percent in the Indian state of Maharashtra, planning authorities and public transport operators face the increased responsibility of providing efficient transport systems while improving the quality of urban life. Pimpri Chinchwad, one of the state’s fastest growing cities, is set to open the first two corridors of a planned 40 km bus rapid transit (BRT) network in early 2014. To ensure that as many residents as possible can benefit from the BRT, the city has begun exploring mechanisms to achieve greater harmony between land use regulations and the emerging mass rapid transit system.

Officials of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) recognize that there is an urgent need to transform existing urban landscapes from a collection of free-standing structures into a cohesive urban environment centered around high quality public transport. Developing a strong framework to guide future growth is essential to achieving this vision. For this purpose, ITDP partnered with PCMC to orgnaize a one-day workshop on transit-oriented development (TOD). The workshop brought together planners, engineers, and other senior officials with experts from ITDP.

Luc Nadal, ITDP’s Technical Director for Urban Development, presented on the link between urban form and transport mode choices. He emphasized the need to create compact, permeable neighborhoods, citing international examples such as Central Saint Giles Court in London, IJburg in Amsterdam, and Quartier Messana in Paris. Luc also introduced ITDP’s TOD Standard as a tool to assess urban developments located near public transport nodes. For the purpose of the workshop, the ITDP team analysed a 1.2 square kilometre study area centered around three BRT stations in Pimpale Saudagar to identify existing issues and to assess the changes required in the urban fabric to facilitate transit-oriented development.

TOD-Pimpri-Chinchwad-03

Pratibha Bhadane, Senior Town Planner, PCMC, presents a proposal to use parking restrictions within 400 m of BRT stations to spur private “parking markets” outside the BRT influence area.

Participants addressed the following topics in three groups:

– Transit-oriented land use planning at the city level. The group explored mechanisms for aligning job density and infrastructure growth along BRT corridors with projected residential growth. The group also discussed the role of off-street parking reforms and affordable housing as means of promoting the use of public transport.

– The street network and the public realm. Group members identified opportunities to prioritize non-motorized and public transport modes, create an interlinked network of public spaces, and finance these projects through street management mechanisms.

– Built form in the private domain and its interface with the public realm. This involved the identification of preferred building typologies and forms that contribute to the public domain as well as institutional mechanisms to enforce these proposals. Viable financial mechanisms were also developed to route revenue from TOD areas to fund infrastructure improvements in the region.
TOD-Pimpri-Chinchwad-04

Assessing walkability in Pimple Saudagar: poor street connectivity limits the catchment area of the BRT system. The green area represents the actual 5 minute pedestrian catchment area within the ideal 400 m buffer around three stations.

Participants agreed that denser development should be planned in the 400 m catchment areas along BRT and metro corridors in order to ensure that the majority of the 740,000 new residents expected to move to Pimpri Chinchwad over the next decade can find accommodation within walking distance of a mass rapid transit station. Participants also developed strong proposals for parking policies to reduce use of private motorized vehicles and incentives for inclusive development through the provision of smaller, affordable units on the BRT corridors.

In terms of better connectivity to station areas, they agreed on the need to restrict block sizes and create a dense network of high quality, safe walking and cycling streets lined by vibrant commercial and residential edges. Implications of increased density on physical and social infrastructure need to be assessed. In addition, participants identified a need for better financial analysis of development rights systems. There was also consensus among the participants on the need to consolidate existing rules and validate existing assumptions through a pilot project in the region. The workshop marks a milestone in the land use and transport planning for Pimpri Chinchwad and has paved the way for second round of discussions among private developers, resident welfare associations, and other stakeholders in the region.