Are streetcars worth the investment?
Streetcars are one of multiple public transport options for cities to consider when investing in sustainable urban mobility. Photo by Sean Davis/Flickr.
The Economist recently argued that streetcars are “a waste of money,” citing their high capital costs and inefficiencies as a means of transport. Others have argued that streetcars can be a catalyst for creating dynamic, vibrant urban environments. Both arguments ...
Mexico City’s new mobility law shifts focus towards people, not cars
Mexico City’s new mobility law prioritizes alternatives to car transport. Photo by karmacamilleeon/Flickr.
Sustainable mobility is a key challenge for city leaders. Mexico City – the world’s fourth most populous city, with more than 20 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area – is no different. The city must overcome a long history of urban ...
Friday Fun: Delhi announces Raahgiri at the center of week-long Independence Day celebrations
Raahgiri is promoting sustainable, active transport in the capital of India. Photo by Raahgiri Day, New Delhi/Facebook.
Delhi’s government just announced a week of Independence Day celebrations culminating in a Raahgiri event at Chandni Chowk. Raahgiri Day first came to Delhi in July as a weekly event that closes city streets to cars to celebrate walking, biking, ...
São Paulo’s new master plan prioritizes sustainable urban development
São Paulo’s new master plan prioritizes people, not cars. Photo by mlsirac/Flickr.
The largest city in Latin America has prioritized curbing car culture and making streets more pedestrian friendly. São Paulo’s new strategic master plan, unveiled on July 31, 2014, focuses on people-oriented development and improved public and non-motorized transport. The new ...
From the director's chair: Sustainable urban transport solutions worth spreading
The BIG bus network in Bangalore is an example of an integrated transport solution that offers better accessibility through connectivity between transport modes and networks. Photo by Benoit Colin/EMBARQ.
Holger Dalkmann, Director of EMBARQ – the producer of TheCityFix – wrote about the importance of developed and emerging cities improving sustainable transport in the 2014 Commonwealth Ministers Reference Book. Read his thoughts on growing trends contributing to sustainable cities worldwide. ...
How advocacy creates safer streets and saves lives: A Q&A with Paul Steely White
New York City’s Vision Zero approach to road safety makes streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists and serves as a best practice for cities around the world. Photo by Moe_NYC/Flickr.
TheCityFix recently interviewed Paul Steely White – Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives – regarding the organization’s role in successfully advocating for New York City to adopt a “Vision Zero” approach to road safety. First adopted in Sweden, Vision Zero is ...
Regulation can help e-rickshaws transform urban mobility across India
E-rickshaws offer multiple advantages over more common auto-rickshaws, but require increased regulation to ensure passenger safety. Photo by Subhash Barolia/Flickr.
As one of the most widely used forms of intermediate public transport or paratransit – services that connect users to mass transport systems like buses or metro – auto-rickshaws are ubiquitous in Indian cities. The electric rickshaw (e-rickshaw), however, emerged ...
Friday Fun: Are automated roads the next transport revolution?
Transport systems play an important role in shaping the character of an urban environment. Photo by Trey Ratcliff/Flickr.
Fresh off our discussion of the latest advances in solar-powered roadways, TheCityFix brings you the next future-oriented innovation in road technology: electric roadways. The Tracked Electrical Vehicle (TEV) Project is a radical new concept looking to transform the look, feel, ...
Study: Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo lost USD 43 billion from traffic congestion in 2013
Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo must focus on sustainable transport options to the harmful effects of traffic congestion. Photo by Bruno Baccalon/Flickr.
Traffic congestion has wide ranging costs, from increasing stress and pollution levels to wasting commuters’ time. A new study released by the Industry Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FIRJAN) confirms that traffic congestion has tremendous economic costs ...
New data from 2050 Global Calculator indicates sustainable transport critical to combating climate change
The newly released 2050 Global Calculator illustrates the potentially disastrous impacts of failing to act on climate change, and highlights transport as pivotal to containing global temperatures. Photo by Metrovía/SIBRT.
Disclaimer: the calculations below are based on a preliminary, beta version of the Global Calculator. To view and explore the final version of the Calculator, visit tool.globalcalculator.org. Experts predict that a 2 degree Celsius rise in world temperatures could have drastic ...