Posts in the 'Urban Development' category
Urban planners and city leaders look for a new framework to think about sustainable transport that promotes accessibility over mobility. Photo by Trevor Pritchard/Flickr.
Ekistics offers new perspective on mobility versus access
Being able to use a bus to travel ten miles to a super market is not the same as having a grocery store around the corner. Mobility, even sustainable mobility, is not the same as access. In order to create ...
Emerging economies are creating their own conception of "smart cities" that incorporate appropriate technologies, mixed-use development, and sustainable transport. Photo by EMBARQ Brazil/Flickr.
Banking on sustainability: Inter-American Development Bank and the Americas Society/Council of the Americas team up for a new conception of smart cities
The idea of “smart cities” – defined as those whose social and technological infrastructure accelerates sustainable economic growth – has captured the attention of city leaders and urban dwellers around the globe. It has also caught the attention of international ...
Jane Jacobs' community activism has had a lasting impression on today's cities, from sidewalk murals to sustainable transport system. Photo by ruffin_ready/Flickr.
Urbanism Hall of Fame: Jane Jacobs inspires sustainable, human-centered cities
This is the inaugural entry to our new series on sustainable urban mobility, the Urbanism Hall of Fame, exclusive to TheCityFix. This series is intended to inform people about the leading paradigms surrounding sustainable transport and urban planning and the ...
Europe learned that speed, reliability, and comfort are essential for successful public transport systems, and Brazil is taking note. Photo by EMBARQ Brasil.
High quality mass transport to save our cities
For those who live in or visit Brazil’s cities, it is not hard to see the effects of increasing motorization and car usage on our urban centers. Too many cities have become crippled  by bottlenecks and stifling traffic congestion. Increased ...
In the past two decades, Indian cities have grown tremendously—not only in population, but in geographic size. Photo by Peter Vandeput/ Flickr.
Three challenges facing India’s growing cities
Population growth and rapid urbanization are combining to create huge challenges for Indian cities. According to McKinsey, Indian cities are expected to grow from 340 million people in 2008 to a whopping 590 million in 2030. Meeting demand for urban services ...
Mexico's history of urban sprawl holds important lessons for policy and leadership in urban development. Photo by Pablo Lopex Luz/Imgur.
The perfect storm: One country’s history of urban sprawl
As some cities tout the benefits of sustainable transport and transit-oriented development (TOD), it is hard to imagine how others could have moved so far in the opposite direction. Understanding the combination of shifting responsibilities, lax regulations, and flawed policies ...
Online platforms provide citizens with new ways to shape urban development in their own backyard. Photo by Claudio Olivares Medina/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Building the ideal city — citizen participation from the ground up
Many developing world cities are experiencing population explosions at the same time as they face funding gaps and citizen apathy towards government’s ability to make meaningful change. In light of these challenges, BD Promotores Colombia, Prodigy Network, PSFK Labs, world ...
Mexico City's Chapultepec Park attracts both residents and tourists to its pedestrian-friendly thoroughfares. Photo by Austin TX/Flickr.
Mexico City park partnerships’ role in urban revitalization
Vibrant parks and public spaces are invaluable in creating sustainable, people-oriented cities. Recently, 8-80 Cities and Fundacion+Espacios organized an opportunity for members of the City Parks Alliance Board of Directors – a group of city park practitioners and advocates – ...
Bogotá, Colombia's Transmilenio bus rapid transit (BRT) system has been successful in integrating social equity into transport planning and urban design. Photo by RonaldHV/Flickr.
A new approach: Social factors in urban development
When a new urban redevelopment scheme is proposed, developers and city officials typically take three primary concerns into account. One: how the development will be financed, and in turn, what economic benefits it can bring. Two: urban infrastructure’s environmental impact ...
Separate subway cars allow women safe access to transport in Mumbai, India. Photo by ezola/Flickr.
Is separate equal? An opinion on women’s equality in transportation
Disrespect to women in any form is unacceptable, including while using public transport. While the long term solution to this disrespect relies on educating people that this behavior is unacceptable, in the present, transport systems designed to promote positive social interactions ...
Narrow, cobblestone paths do not support the development of a bicycle culture in Kadikoy, Istanbul. Photo by andy carvin/Flickr.
Creating a cycling culture in Kadiköy, Istanbul
Walking along Moda Cadesi in the Kadiköy neighborhood of Istanbul is an exciting experience. The street is connected to stores, a public park, and a pedestrian plaza that allows all ages and demographics to mix together in a dynamic hub ...
A person bikes in Bogota, Columbia, during the city's car-free week. Photo by M.Erwert/Flickr.
Bogotá’s car-free week shows the viability of bicycle transport
Mayor Enrique Peñalosa organized the first car free day for Bogotá, Colombia in 2000 and proposed a ballot poll in which it was approved permanently. Mejor en Bici (Better on bike) was one of the many organizations upholding the mayor’s promise to annually ...
Passengers wait for a bus in Curitiba, Brazil. Photo by mariordo59/Flickr.
Understanding the “t” in bus rapid transit oriented development
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a cost-effective mass transportation system characterized by exclusive bus lanes and reduction of travel times, high-passenger capacity and level boarding, and a relatively short construction process. Latin America and Asia are becoming the world leaders ...
Pedestrians passing across a congested road in Mumbai, India. Photo by Jerry H/Flickr.
From traffic flow to pedestrian access: Shifting Mumbai’s parking policy
In a recent study, the International Energy Agency (IEA) projected that the area required for parking in India if motorization trends continue as they are today will reach between 10,000 and 20,000 square kilometers (3,861 to 7,722 square miles) by ...
Boats anchored in a harbor outside of Qingdao, China. Photo by Li-Cah/Wikimedia.
Sustainable Cities: From a Vision to Reality
The C40 Cities Mayors Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa kicks off today. It’s the fifth biennial meeting of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a collection of mayors from cities around the world committed to advancing urban solutions to climate ...
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