Sustainability Aspects of Urban Public Transportation

Dr. J.N.JhaDepartment of Civil Engineering

Guru Nanak Dev Engineering CollegeLudhiana

Index Introduction Sustainability Changing Urban Pattern Worldwide Motorization & Urbanization Trends Automobile Dependency and Urban Transit Sustainable Transportation Indicators Implication of Sustainable Transportation Criticism of Sustainability and Sustainable

Transportation

Cont……. Can Transit Ensure Sustainability Role of Technology Innovation Conclusion References

Introduction Sea Change in Surface Transportation:

Horse drawn street railway to Underground heavy rail line

What is the motivation of this Sea Change? Answer:

Desire of user to find faster and more reliable form of transportation (Which was available at that time)

Cont…. Predominance of Automobile is the result of this

motivation Advantages

i) Unprecedented mobility levelii) Personal Freedom

Disadvantagei) Paid little attention to Social and Environmental sustainability

Cont…..

National Academy of Engineering (NAE 2000)Automobile Ranked as 2nd greatest engineering achievement after electricity

How ranking is decided?Impact on quality of life

Cont…. Rapid motorisation raises serious concern about the

sustainability of transportation system (Developing world).

Developing world :Poorly maintained vehicleSlow moving trafficExpanding urban boundaries making work trips excessively long and expensive (Poor)

Sustainability U.N. World Commission on Environment and

Development (UNWCED 1987):

A sustainable condition for this planet is one in which there is stability for both social and physical systems, achieved through meeting the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generation

Cont…. Themes sustainable development (2004)

Sustainable development is the achievement of continued economic development without detriment to environmental and natural resources

Cont…. MOST (1999)

The goal of sustainable transportation is to ensure that environment, social and economic considerations are factored into decisions affecting transportation activity

Cont…. Transportation and Research Board (1997)

Sustainability is not about threat analysis, sustainability is about system analysis, specially it is about how environmental, economic and social systems interact to their mutual advantage or disadvantage at various spaced-based scales of operation

Range of issues covered (Sustainability) Main issue of sustainable transportation (World Bank,

1996) Economic and Financial

(cost effectiveness of the system) Environmental

(pollution, land use, energy consumption, wild life) Social

(safe and adequate service to all segment of society)

Changing Urban Pattern Changing urban pattern provides important lesson

e.g. India Cities in India grew around urban core(1980) in

successive layers of high density concentric rings Leapfrogging pattern (1990) due to all weather roads

and single family dwelling unit[Leap frog: Game in which players vault (arched roof) with parted legs over others bending down]

Cont…. Result of leapfrogging phenomenon

Urban sprawls uncoordinated ribbon developments along major highway corridors deep into rural agricultural areas.

Automobile oriented metropolitan expansion:Attractive way of life who wanted space and less crowded environment

Cont…. Large infrastructure cost High commuting time and cost Congestion High dependency on automobiles Air pollution and other environmental problems If not addressed properly can threaten the economic

productivity, environmental sustainability and social well being of nation.

World wide Motorization and urbanization Trends Motorization and urbanization-A world wide

phenomenon

Urban population –Increasing much faster rate than total population

Growth in automobile-Soaring compared to automobile fleet growth

Developing Countries

Vehicle growth Increasing at a higher rate than the gross national product (GNP)Increasing at a much higher pace than the annual growth in GNP per capita

Explosion of urban population growthCreating an increasing number of mega cities (>10 million inhabitants)

Cont…

Lagos (Nigeria) and Dhaka (Bangladesh)Urban population expected to increase by 50% by 2010Ranked 3rd and 6 th most populated cities in worldNow half of the population is urbanBy 2030 60% world population will be living in cities (UNCHS 2001)

Cont….

Motorization goes hand in hand with urbanization

Rapid motorization and urbanization many environmental risks

Can seriously jeopardize the sustainability of cities

Cont….

Risk and problems much greater in developing countries

Overwhelming scale and speed of urbanization compared to available resources

Automobile Dependency and Urban Transit Automobile dependency increasing at a rapid

pace in developing countries

In 1980 in India automobile transformed from a recreational vehicle into most popular mode of transportation

Middle class welcomed enthusiastically Maruti 800 and other affordable models

Cont….

Urban dwellers were dissatisfied with the public transport system

Reason- Unresponsive and obsolete

In 1990’s automobile became the mode of transportation

Cont….

Public transport relegated to secondary means conveyance left for people who do not have the access to automobiles

Lack of rapid transit option in many cities

Transit fleet consists of buses often stuck in traffic

Cont….

To improve travel speed public opted for motorized vehicles if they can afford

In Seoul automobile ownership increased 33 fold in 30 years

In 21st centuries cities in India is seeing:Rapid urban population growth

Cont….

Rising personal income

A general willingness of the public to have travel choices

Decrease in transit level of service

Urban Sprawl (Spread out in straggling fashion)

Cont….

Some deliberate measures to curb the growth of automobiles through pricing and other measures (Taken by some countries)

Singapore best example for this effort

Cont….

Ownership and use of automobile in Singapore continue to grow despite centralized planning and strong government control

Attraction of private vehicles over public transportation is overwhelming

Level of urban transit service needs dramatic improvement to attract travelers

Sustainable Transportation Indicators

Evaluation of Sustainability : By a set of measurable indicators

Selection of indicators influences result analysis

Important to avoid confusing goals and objectives

Cont….

Goals: What society ultimately wants

Objective : Things that help in achieving goals but are not end in themselves

Decision makers: Focuses on easy to measure impacts and objectives while overlooking more difficult to measure impacts and goals

Cont….

Conventional Transport Indicators

Simple Sustainability Indicators

Comprehensive Sustainability Transportation Indicators

Conventional Transport Indicators

Roadway level of service: A higher rating is considered better

Average traffic speed: Assumes higher is better

Parking convenience and price: Increased convenience and lower price is better

Crash rates per vehicle mile: lower the better

Simple sustainability Indicators

Transportation fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emission: Less is better

Vehicle pollution emission: Less is better Per capita motor vehicle mileage: Less is

better Mode split: Higher transit rider ship is better

Cont….

Traffic crash injury and deaths: Less is better Transport land consumption: Less is better Roadway aesthetic condition

(People are more inclined to care for environments that they consider beautiful and meaningful)

Comprehensive Sustainability Transportation Indicators

Economic

Social

Environment

Economic Accessibility-commuting:-Av. Commute travel

time :Less is better Accessibility-land use mix : within 30 minute

travel distance of residents: More is better Accessibility-smart growth: More is better Transport diversity: Mode split: portion of

travel made by walking, cycling, rideshare, public transit and telework: More better

Cont….

Affordability: Portion of household expenditures devoted to transport by 20% lowest-income households :Less is better

Facility costs: Per capita expenditures on roads, traffic services and parking facilities(Less better)

Freight efficiency: Speed and affordability of freight and commercial transport (More better)

Cont….

Planning: Degree to which transport institutions reflect least cost planning (More is better)

Social Safety Health and fitness Community livability Equity-fairness Equity-non-drivers Equity-disabilities Non-motorized transport planning Citizen involvement

Environment

Climate change emissions Other air pollution Noise pollution Water pollution Land use impacts Habitat protection Resource efficiency

Implications of Sustainable Transportation

Transportation decision making Automobile dependency Transportation equity Community livability Land use

Transportation Decision Making

Decisions that more accurately reflect community values by giving people more opportunities to affect decisions

Decisions that contribute to more equitable transportation decisions by giving disadvantaged groups more involvement in decisions that affect them.

Decisions to create more public support for policies that require behaviour changes or sacrifice in a community

Automobile Dependency

Dedicated funding for highway facilities that encourages roadway construction

Generous parking and road capacity standards

Zoning laws and development practices that favour automobile-oriented land use patterns

Cont….

Unpriced roads and parking

Inexpensive automobile use since most vehicles costs are fixed

A lack of travel alternatives, including poor transit service and road conditions that are unfavourable for walking and cycling

Transportation Equity

• Horizontal equity implies that externalities of transportation should be reduced except where they are specifically justified.

• This includes reducing pollution emissions and accident risk from motor vehicle use, or compensating those who bear such external costs.

Cont….

Horizontal equity also implies that user’s should get what they pay for and pay for what they get.

That could involve more road and parking fees, more accurate insurance pricing and other pricing reforms

Cont….

• Vertical equity implies that access options should improve for people who are economically, socially and physically disadvantaged.

• This can include improved transit, ridesharing, cycling and walking conditions and discounted prices for disadvantaged people.

Community Livability Local environmental quality

Quality of community interactions

Community cohesion

Ability of community to satisfy the basic needs of residents

Land Use

low density development, Hierarchical street pattern, Generous road and parking supply Automobile oriented site design tends to

increase automobile dependency leading to high levels of per capita motor vehicle mileage

Reduction in the quality of travel alternatives (transit, walking and cycling).

Cont….

Higher density land use patterns that accommodate alternative modes

Cities with higher density neighborhoods developed around passenger rail transit systems are most sustainable model for urban areas.

Can Transit Ensure Sustainability?

Increased transit use is associated with overall sustainability.

Key to increased transit use and transportation sustainability is urban population density (Activity density - population and jobs).

Cont….

Increased density is associated with: Less ownership and use of automobiles Less road and parking facilities High transit use. To induce higher walking and other

nonmotorized trips (Contributing to sustainability)

Cont….

Issue is then how can we arrest the progression of low urban sprawl?

General response to congestion is to invest in highways.

investment policies should be redirected from highways to mass transit.

Transit oriented developments (TOD),

Key to reversing the current trend of bondless sprawl and dying cities

urban growth would be accommodated : Development of compact, pedestrian-scale communities centered on transit stations Linked with one another by a regional transit system

Transit systems could become the critical elements in metropolitan planning and design.

Traffic and the demand for travel can be controlled by deliberate guiding land use.

Cont…. Transit’s viability depends on urban density

Essential to pursue a combination of efforts to achieve sustainable transportation system.

Mere improving the level of services only will not make much difference unless these initiatives are supported by other factors:

6. Policies which encourages mixed land uses and higher population densities

7. That internalizes the societal costs of private modes of transportation and urban sprawl

Role of Technology Innovation

Emerging information and communication technologies can play an important role in improving transit levels of service

Debatable whether the expected benefit in terms of increased ridership would be justified for the cost of implementing these technologies

Cont….

Particularly relevant for the cities in most developing countries where cost becomes the determining factor in implementation of these technologies.

Innovative and cost effective approach shall be encouraged to make transit more attractive.

Rapid bus transit (busways) of Curitiba (Brazil) is one such example.

Thank you