Transport and mobility in sub-Saharan African cities: An overview of practices,lessons and options for improvements

Urban mobility is increasingly becoming one of the planning and development issues for cities in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. Sub-Saharan cities are growing fast, outstripping the current transport infrastructure. Despite the population and spatial growth, many cities are defined by inadequate planning, rapid urbanisation and deteriorating transport infrastructure and services. In most sub-Saharan African countries, modes of urban mobility are highly dependent on income. Transport options are limited. In fact, walking and cycling are often the main means available for the majority of city commuters. Little effort is made to develop a range of transport options or to improve bike or walking paths. Combined with traffic jams, poor governance and the increasing cost of living, public transport mobility in sub-Saharan cities is having a tremendous impact on their liveability and citizens development aspirations. This paper argues that inclusive and broad ranging transport planning must be prioritised in SSA cities to improve the capacity of citizens to participate in work opportunities as well as to fulfil their daily domestic needs. Using observations and comparing progress in other countries and regions, we note that the majority urban poor, women in particular, are often bearing the brunt of inadequate planning and transport provision. We note that urban planning and transport infrastructure should therefore be (re) designed with particular focus on the wellbeing of the poor. The paper thus ends with a range of suggestions on what planning, design and policy options might be available to better integrate various commuting modes into urban planning infrastructure. In doing so, the paper notes that safety and security are critical elements of improving urban and spatial transport planning in the sub-Saharan Africa region.     

The World Bank and Urban Development: From Projects to Policy by Edward Ramsamy

Walking as an out-of-home mobility activity is recognised for its contribution to healthy and active ageing. The environment can have a powerful effect on the amount of walking activity undertaken by older people, thereby influencing their capacity to maintain their well-being and independence. This paper reports the findings from research examining the experiences of neighbourhood walking for 12 older people from six different inner-city high density suburbs, through analysis of data derived from travel diaries, individual time/space activity maps (created via global positioning systems (GPS) tracking over a seven-day period and geographic information system (GIS) technology), and in-depth interviews. Reliance on motor vehicles, the competing interests of pedestrians and cyclists on shared pathways and problems associated with transit systems, public transport, and pedestrian infrastructure emerged as key barriers to older people venturing out of home on foot. GPS and GIS technology provide new opportunities for furthering understanding of the out-of-home mobility of older populations.     

基于网络口碑大数据的城市步行与自行车交通廊道选线规划--以北京市海淀区为例

通过大数据分析城市公共服务空间对公众出行的影响是步行和自行车交通廊道选线规划的重要步骤。已有研究主要聚焦空间分布规律展开分析,对公共设施服务能力内在差异性考虑较少。引入网络口碑大数据,通过口碑分值表征城市公共服务空间的吸引力,在此基础上构建基于网络口碑大数据的城市步行和自行车交通廊道选线规划思路,并以北京市海淀区为例展开实证分析。结合最小累积阻力模型和网络分析法等方法,最终构建由商业综合、休闲娱乐、生活服务3类廊道组成的步行和自行车交通廊道网络。网络口碑大数据兼具空间分布和口碑质量的双重属性,能够帮助规划者和决策者立足区域视角识别与量化部分类型公共服务设施的内在差异性,其支撑下的步行和自行车交通廊道规划更加强调公众使用满意度对选线过程的影响,在未来城市交通规划领域有较好的应用前景。     

步行的现实困境与规划探索 步行系统规划实践与思考

以江南古城常熟市为例,研究了当前我国城市步行交通存在的普遍问题。从步行系统规划及设计层面探讨了优化城市步行系统的途径,探索解决问题的方法。提出通过遵循安全性、连续性、人性化的原则;构建城市安全、充满活力、人性化的步行系统;进行差别化的步行分区,体现城市的资源禀赋和不同用地性质空间内的步行活动特色;形成路径连续、断点衔接的步行网络,提高步行的可达性;精细设计步行廊道、步行环境,提高步行的舒适度;规范设计步行交通设施,保障行人安全,以系统的规划完善步行系统,并号召政府从城市发展策略和总体规划上予以基础支撑。     

重庆市商业中心区空中街市规划与设计研究初探

现代城市生活方式的转变和传统城市空间结构的颠覆，导致了当代城市公共空间危机。本文探讨了商业公共空间中的步行空间问题，初步建立了相关的构建体系，并以实例对空中步行空间体系的建立和作用加以阐述。     

地铁车站商业开发的行人交通影响分析

地铁系统能够有效缓解城市交通拥堵问题,但地铁建设费用高昂,且公共交通的行业属性也决定了其不可避免的亏损。地铁车站地下空间的商业开发,是提高地铁运营综合收益、减少亏损的有效手段,但作为城市公共交通系统的骨干,地铁车站的商业开发不能影响其交通功能。因此,有必要在进行商业开发时,评估其对地铁车站交通运行的影响。本文以行人仿真为基础,以实际工程应用为出发点,构建了地铁车站地下空间商业开发的行人交通影响评价方法。该方法以服务水平为评价指标,包含数据分析、模型构建、仿真结果分析、优化改善等步骤。实际工程中的应用表明,该方法能够定量化的反映商业开发对地铁车站交通功能的影响,具有较强的可操作性。     

大众视角与情境--论典型公共空间的情境表达

城市公共空间是公众购物、集会、步行与交流最主要的空间,更是一个城市区域的精神与文化窗口,最典型的城市公共空间当属商业步行街。情境化设计是一个通过对物理环境进行改造,最终使人们确认所处的空间环境并与之产生共鸣的过程。对典型城市公共空间进行情景化设计的重要性不言而喻。为了吸引人流,促进经济发展,并满足大众的公共生活需要,打造城市中心的窗口形象,重庆市政府投入大量人力物力建设了五个比较成功的商业步行街。其中观音桥步行街年轻而充满活力,情境的设计与安排也较成功。本文将以此为案例,阐述比较成功的公共空间如何采用大众化的设计视角并表达情境。     

公共交通在德国城市中心步行区发展中的作用——以斯图加特市为例

德国城市中心步行区的成功发展,首要归功于他们先进的城市公共交通,特别是城市快速轨道交通系统。一方面,它改善了城市中心的可达性;另一方面,它帮助城市逐步摆脱了对汽车交通的依赖,为城市中心步行区的扩张创造了有利的条件。本文以斯图加特市为案例,简要回顾了其城市快速轨道交通系统与城市中心步行区半个多世纪的发展历程,探讨了其步行区的公共交通可达性,并总结了斯图加特公共交通系统对城市中心步行区发展的推动作用。     

以公交和步行为导向的当代城市中心区空间重塑策略研究

在当代高密度城市中心区,缓解人 车冲突和构建宜步行空间备受关注。文章选 取陆家嘴金融区作为案例,通过小陆家嘴的 空间发展梳理、空间结构分析和空间现状调 研,指出中心区空间存在空间格局机动化,主 轴切割城市空间,以及公共空间节点与步行 系统脱离等问题。同时采用图解和空间句法 等方法,对比研究TOD模式、巴黎德方斯、 维也纳多瑙新城、伦敦金丝雀码头等一组基 于公交化和步行化理念开发的城市中心区, 提出优化中心区步行空间的主要内容在于构 建宜步行的交通结构,提升公共交通对步行 者的支持和塑造能激发城市生活的公共空 间。基于此,提出包括立体化交通策略、站厅 核策略、可见即可达的步行空间主节点策略 等适用于当代城市中心区空间重塑的措施, 为后续中心区建设和改造提供思路。     

山城步道比简单走路更具内涵和意义的步行空间

重庆渝中半岛地区拥有极其丰富的传统街巷系统,但是随着近年来旧城更新改造和机动车的不断增长,传统的街巷空间以及步行出行方式受到了严峻的挑战。通过重庆渝中半岛步行系统及示范段设计项目这个案例,探讨在山地城市中的步道及街巷公共空间设计的理念和方法,剖析步道空间中人们的行为特征和规律,在调查、设计和实施三个阶段中应用"邀请"的行为学研究成果,实现城市步道空间公共生活的回归和步行优先的绿色出行导向目标。     

基于新城市主义理念的步行干预规划策略探讨*

新城市主义提倡以人为本的设计思潮与运动,其规划设计强调建成环境的宜人性以及对人类社会活动的支持,对当下城市规划如何干预人群步行活动具有积极的借鉴意义。本文首先对新城市主义理念及其发展模式进行分析。总结促进步行活动的基本理念与设计策略。然后通过文献综述分析新城市主义发展模式的步行绩效,进而归纳出建成环境的临近性、连通性、场所性等特征对步行干预的积极作用。最后结合我国实际情况,从城市和社区两个层面提出步行干预的城市空间规划策略,同时进一步阐述了新城市主义的规划设计策略在我国的适用性。     

生活街区轨道站步行易达性测度研究 ——以深圳和香港为例

步行作为轨道交通最主要的接驳方式,具有不可替代的作用。以深圳和香港生活街区的轨道交通站点为例,对影响站域步行易达的因素“步行距离、步行时间、步行环境”等进行了测度分析。研究发现,斜向放射状步行路径、建筑物底层架空、复合二层步行连廊能够有效的减少步行距离、步行等待时间等要素,提高步行易达性;受步行网络和站点形态的影响,实际步行集散区与理论步行集散区存在较大差异;多出入口的设置可以有效拓展站域服务面积,提高市民乘坐意愿。结果表明,港铁站点在步行易达性方面存在不小优势,站点步行集散区普遍较大;深圳的开放住区站点兼有城中村站点和封闭住区站点的优势,是值得推广的一种住区模式。在当今城市面临大规模更新背景下,探寻轨道站生活街区步行网络系统构建途径,提升步行出行衔接时效分布,活化站点社区的城市界面,对进一步提高轨道交通分担率有着积极意义。     

Accessibility at the household level using the Structural Accessibility Layer: A forecast of potential future travel behaviour based on self-selection of residential location

The current paper analysis the differences in accessibility categories at the household level and by lifecycle changes by using the Structural Accessibility Layer. Results are evaluated from spatial, numerical and qualitative perspectives. Main findings show differences in residential preference by a single-person household, couple without children and households with children for different potential accessibility categories. This paper provides evidence that external factors influence the population to move from public transport into car-based mobility. Finally, we observe areas categorized as suitable for both walking and public transport mobility presenting low population density and residential development of those areas is suggested.     

Refining the grain: using resident-based walkability audits to better understand walkable urban form

Researchers use measures of street connectivity to assess neighborhood walkability, and many studies show a relationship between neighborhood design and walking activity. Yet, the core connectivity measures are based on constructs designed for analyzing automobile mobility – the street network – not pedestrian movement. This article examines the effect of a finer-grained characterization of street connectivity and illustrates the idea using parent ratings of street and intersection walkability for children throughout a suburban school district in Oregon. Several policy and practice recommendations are presented, including a discussion that extends Michael Southworth’s foundational representation of streets and the walkable city using a refined, more pedestrian-centered approach to visualizing connectivity and walkable urban form.     

Agency costs in public transport systems: Net-cost contracting between the transport authority and private operators - impact on passengers

Drawing on an agency theory approach, this paper examines conflict of interests and the resulting agency costs in the provision of urban public transport services in Istanbul's public transport system, particularly the private bus and minibus operators' relationship with local government. The agency problem in Istanbul's urban mobility system shows itself most explicitly in private bus and minibus operators because of the net-cost (NC) contract model in place. The private bus and minibus operators' relationship with local government is examined as a case study of agency relationships. Conceptually, government transport authorities and transport operators, together with the passengers, are the main actors of this urban public transport system. They all have distinct needs, interests and requirements and interact with each other, all embedded in a specific institutional environment. Service quality provided by public transport operators depends on the positive interactions between these actors. Whereas passengers demand reliable, affordable, safe and comfortable mobility services, private bus and minibus operators aim to increase their revenue and maximise their profits. In contrast to this, government bus operators provide in-house bus services without much concern for profitability. Regulators or local authorities, on the other hand, are expected to set up an institutional environment where passengers' and operators' expectations are met in a satisfactory manner. Empirical analyses and interviews with key agents demonstrate that agency costs are shown to be the result of misaligned interests between the government transport authority and private operators that lead to reduced service quality in terms of safety, comfort, reliability and affordability. We conclude that the agency costs of current NC contracting on passengers in Istanbul has deficiencies and propose instead a performance-based gross-cost (PrGC) contracting model. PrGC contracting can alleviate agency costs by changing the incentives of operators where regulatory and financing mechanisms are not enough to handle NC contracting. Istanbul represents some transferable lessons and implications, especially for developing cities around the world.     

Improving walkability for seniors through accessibility to food stores: a study of three areas of Greater Montreal

The aging of suburbs requires that pedestrian accessibility be favored in this type of environment, because walking is a key element in the quality of life of seniors. This article analyzes the potential for accessibility by foot in three inner suburbs of the Greater Montreal Area. Accessibility was calculated using walking distances throughout the street network. This analysis was complemented by an observation of physical-spatial characteristics likely to affect walking among seniors. Pedestrian accessibility is influenced not only by long travel distances but also by various obstacles that result from land-use decisions in favor of motorized travel on a regional scale. This article reveals the necessity for urban planners to find a balance between local accessibility by foot and public transit, and regional accessibility by motorized transport.     

构建高效步行系统,营造地下交通空间——以济南火车站站前枢纽开发设想为例

既有的交通枢纽站点往往忽略构建高效步行系统、和谐步行环境的重要性。步行系统设计的三要素:短途、连续、直接,考虑以人为本,注重步行流线与交通空间的相互协调。济南火车站站前枢纽人、车流交织,地下空间使用效率低下,影响城市的整体形象,亟待改造。拟作的地下空间综合体改造方案以高效步行系统为切入点,利用地下空间中光与结构这两种元素对步行流线的引导作用,构建层次化开发的交通枢纽,服务邻里地区,迎接往来客流。     

湿热地区步行商业街夏季室外热环境实测分析

我国湿热地区夏季空气温度和湿度相对较高,太阳辐射强烈,人们在此种气候条件下的室外步行商业街区活动可能会造成身体不适,甚至是中暑。因此,高品质的室外热环境既对于步行商业街区在吸引人流方面扮演了重要角色,同时也为城市公共空间提供活力。通过对南宁市典型步行商业街区夏季室外热环境变量进行测试,从而得出热环境与周围材质和建筑类型有关,遮阳形式是决定人在步行通道空间中是否感到舒适的重要因素。     

寻求“场所”与“交通”的平衡——南京珠江路商业街沿线步行空间改善规划研究

随着城市化、机动化的发展,拓展机动车空间,压缩步行空间在城市建设中屡见不鲜。为解决步行空间缺乏的问题,本文以南京市珠江路商业街为例,从用地特征、步行需求及供给环境、机动车与步行冲突等方面分析了目前珠江路商业街的步行情况。在此基础上,分别从创造畅达交通与提升场所空间两个方面,制定适宜的步行系统规划控制要求。并运用＂分区分类＂手段,对步行空间的＂街道设施及绿化带＂、＂行人步行带＂,以及＂建筑毗邻带＂分别提出控制要求。     

南京江东路道路改造设计理念的综合应用

结合南京市江东路道路改造实例,通过横断面设计、交叉口渠化、交通岛设置、公交专用道、人行横道、主线绿波交通、绿化景观等设计理念的综合应用,极大地提高了城市道路的服务水平。道路预计通行能力由2103pcu/h提高到3450pcu/h;公交运营速度增加;大大提高了交通安全性;良好的景观效果得到了一致好评。