People-oriented Cities: Demystifying transit-oriented development
Transit-oriented development strategies can help urban areas develop sustainably, uniting land use, transport planning, and urban design to create more people-oriented cities. Pictured: Small businesses and pedestrians at a hub near Mexico City's Metrobús bus rapid transit (BRT) system. Photo by Justin Swan/Flickr.
The “People-oriented Cities” series – exclusive to TheCityFix and WRI Insights – is an exploration of how cities can grow to become more sustainable and livable through transit-oriented development (TOD). The nine-part series will address different urban design techniques and trends ...
Across the divide: Information and communication connect users and transport systems
Information-communication technologies have the ability to improve data quality for transport operators while increasing convenience for transport users. Photo by Frederik_Rowing/Flickr.
As the situation stands in India, lack of data connectivity inhibits the success of urban transport systems on two fronts. On one hand, transport operators do not have the baseline information to do their job efficiently. On the other hand, ...
Urbanism Hall of Fame: Jaime Lerner – The architect of Curitiba
Jaime Lerner's vision for Curitiba, Brazil, included creating a connected, sustainable city that would be accessible to all. Photo by EMBARQ/Flickr.
This is the third entry in the Urbanism Hall of Fame series, exclusive to TheCityFix. This series is intended to inform people about the leading paradigms surrounding sustainable transport and urban planning and the thinkers behind them. By presenting their ...
Friday Fun: Community building through skateboarding in Addis Ababa
Taxi bus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo by Overseas Development Institute/Flickr.
Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. In fact, it’s population has almost tripled since 1970. In its rapid race towards development, little space was left for parks, little consideration was ...
The new generation of participatory planning for today’s cities
Cities look for ways to use social networks and mobile applications to engage the younger generation in the planning process. Photo by Fullbridge Program/Flickr.
We live in a world where four out of five millennials prefer to live in walkable places with a variety of commuting options, a world where people want to drive less and socialize more. However, while the next generation’s desires ...
Educating the next generation for sustainable mobility
Combining environmental education with cycling helps children make sustainable mobility a life long decision. Photo by Nasos Efstathiadis/Flickr.
Today’s children are inheriting an environmental crisis – a simultaneous combination of depleting resources and increasing pollution. Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE), launched in 2003 by the European Commission, seeks to find sustainability initiatives around the region that can help Europe’s ...
Introducing the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Introducing the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. Photo by Christian Haugen/Flickr.
TheCityFix, produced by EMBARQ, is excited to announce the launch of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, which will focus on research, tools, and on-the-ground action to develop accessible, healthy, equitable, and environmentally friendly cities. The Center will build ...
New manual to catalyze cycling in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas
EMBARQ Brazil released today a new manual to help cities like Rio de Janeiro build safe cycling infrastructure and foster cycling culture for sustainable urban mobility. Photo by Mariana Gil/EMBARQ Brazil.
Cycling is already an important part of daily life many of Brazil’s urban residents. To grow the country’s cycling culture as well as provide better conditions for users, the new “Manual of Projects and Programs for Encouraging Cycling in Communities” ...
Friday Fun: Three cities demonstrate the role of transport in shaping public space
Surrounding transport systems subtly shape the patterns of interaction within public spaces. Photo by Dan Nguyen/Flickr.
Public spaces function as city halls, entertainment epicenters, informal meeting places, and cultural classrooms for cities. When thinking about what makes a successful public gathering point, things like architecture, historic monuments, and the people within the space come quickly to ...
A story of demand and dissent for Mumbai’s skywalks
Mumbai India's skywalks have been a symbol of poor planning for the city, but with public engagement and key design initiatives, the skywalk still has the potential to increase access for the residents of the city. Photo by TheMumbaiflyover/Flickr.
Mumbai, India’s skywalk project was meant to provide better connectivity and accessibility for pedestrians in the city. The project – a joint initiative of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Maharshtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) – ...