URBAN DEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS IN RELATION TO TRANSPORTATION DESIGN

THERE ARE FOUR CONCEPTS WHICH DIRECTLY AFFECT THE DESIGN OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS: (1) TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS SHOULD BE DESIGNED SO AS TO PERMIT THE MOST EFFICIENT AND PLEASANT COMPLETED TRIP. THIS IS COMPARED WITH THE PRESENT APPROACH TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WHICH GENERALLY SEEKS TO SATISFY A PARTICULAR MODE. (2) TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE TRAVEL. THIS CONCEPT SUGGESTS THE IMPORTANCE OF MIXED LAND USE AS COMPARED WITH THE PRESENT PHILOSOPHY OF CAREFULLY AND WIDELY SEPARATED USES. BY MIXING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES WITH OTHER LAND USES, INCLUDING CERTAIN KINDS OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES, A GREATER OPPORTUNITY IS PROVIDED FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ALL THEIR ACTIVITIES WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THEIR RESIDENCE, THUS REDUCING THE NEED FOR TRAVEL. (3) A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS NOT ONLY A PATHWAY FOR VEHICLES, PEOPLE AND GOODS, BUT ALSO THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR MOST OF OUR UTILITIES. IT IS FURTHER THE LOCUS OF THE TAXPAYER'S CAPITAL INVESTMENT. BY DESIGNING THE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR AHEAD OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND INCREMENTALLY ADDING TO THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THEREAFTER, TRANSPORTATION CAN BE THE PRIMARY TOOL FOR SHAPING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT, FOR IT WILL DETERMINE THE PATTERN OF FURTHER URBAN DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS DEFINE THE DENSITIES AND THE FORMS OF ADJACENT DEVELOPMENTS. (4) FINALLY, ALL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS SHOULD PROVIDE AMENITIES FOR ALL WHO USE OR ARE AFFECTED BY IT. THE WAYFARER SHOULD NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS JOURNEY AT REASONABLE SPEED, BUT SHOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED WITH AN AESTHETIC ENVIRONMENT WITHIN HIS PATHWAY AND A PLEASING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE VEHICLE REGARDLESS OF THE MODE OF TRANSPORT. IN ADDITION, THE AESTHETIC SENSE AS WELL AS THE MICROENVIRONMENT OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS IN WHICH THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS EMBEDDED MUST ALSO BE RECOGNIZED.