Posts tagged with 'congestion'
Istanbul’s world class BRT, pedestrianized spaces, and strong demand for improved cycling infrastructure highlight the rise of sustainable transport in the city. Photo by Monique Stuut/Flickr.
Six things to know about sustainable transport in Istanbul
Istanbul has made many strides in sustainable transport in recent years. Through a world class bus rapid transit (BRT) system and pedestrianization of public spaces, Istanbul is working to improve transport access, health, road safety, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions ...
Lagos struggles with congestion and insufficient mass transit, but a recent focus on sustainable transport can improve mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Photo by G@tto Giallo/Flickr.
What does the future of sustainable transport look like in Lagos?
Lagos – the largest city and commercial capital of Nigeria – has traditionally struggled with a lack of reliable mass transit systems and severe traffic congestion. The average Lagos commuter spends over three hours in traffic every day. More recently, ...
Car-sharing is beginning to take hold in Chinese cities, and can help reduce car ownership, congestion, and air pollution. Photo via gaoloumi.com.
Car-sharing grows in China as an alternative to vehicle ownership
China’s increasing overall wealth makes it unlikely that the country’s growth in car ownership will stop any time soon. However, severe air pollution and traffic congestion have led several large Chinese cities to take action to stem the rising tide ...
Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo must focus on sustainable transport options to the harmful effects of traffic congestion. Photo by Bruno Baccalon/Flickr.
Study: Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo lost USD 43 billion from traffic congestion in 2013
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 ...
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is expanding worldwide, particularly in Asia and Latin America. Watch it grow on BRTdata.org. Photo by EMBARQ Brasil.
New BRT data shows cities’ increased commitment to sustainable transport
The BRTData.org global database of bus rapid transit (BRT) data has recently been updated, and the increased number of BRT lines, as well as the length of those lines, reflects the commitment of cities around the world to provide high-capacity ...
São Paulo's Rua da Consolação is often congested for hours each day, leading residents and city leaders to wonder if other transport modes such as bikes and mass transport can be used to cut down on traffic while increasing sustainable mobility. Photo by Carlos Barretta/Flickr.
Study: São Paulo commuters lose one month per year sitting in traffic
While the idea of ‘free time’ is by nature associated with individual choice and being momentarily ‘free’ from the demands of everyday life, the amount and quality of this time we have at our disposal is closely linked to city-wide ...
Work schedules outside of the traditional 9 am to 5 pm allow greater flexibility in personal mobility, and in turn decreases congestion in developing cities. Photo by Roger Schultz/Flickr.
The end of rush hour: Technology gives way to new commuting and mobility patterns
For decades, ‘work’ meant spending an eight-hour chunk of your day in an office, industrial facility, or at school. Workers needed to physically occupy a given location in order to do their jobs. Because of this, the trips to and ...
The pedestrianization project in the Historic Peninsula of Istanbul, Turkey, has created vibrant thoroughfares that has allowed the city to compromise between preserving culture and meeting the mobility needs of its growing populace. Photo by Gulsen Oczan/Flickr.
Peninsulas and public spaces: The pedestrianization of Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey, has stood at the center of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. It has acted as a central hub of political history and artistic creation for some 20 centuries, with remnants of the ...
King's Cross Station in London ties together both train and high-speed rail lines, serving as a transport hub for residents in the city and the wider region, and, perhaps, for wizards. Photo by Jim Nix/Flickr.
Friday Fun: What Harry Potter teaches us about integrated transport
In J.K. Rowling’s novel Harry Potter, there comes a time when the reader learns about Apparition – essentially teleportation – where wizards close their eyes, think about where they want to be, and poof! There they are. Once you learn ...
China's new urban plan seeks to build competitive, livable cities while combatting the rising phenomena of congestion, air pollution, and sprawl. Photo by Rob Chan/Flickr.
Preparing for the urban billion: “New-type” urbanization in China
While cities are drivers of economic growth, this prosperity does not always come naturally. The fate of a city lies in its ability to balance the positives of dense, connected communities – mobility, accessibility, and innovation chief among them – ...
Istanbul, Turkey, like many cities in Europe and Asia are turning towards water transport to combat congestion in growing urban areas. Photo by Axeltriple/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Three cities explore water-based transport to improve urban mobility
Rapidly developing cities worldwide, while diverse, have a number of factors in common. Issues that seem nearly universal are congestion and enormous traffic jams, which have, in some extreme cases, stretched the typical commute into a weeklong sojourn. While cities ...
Cities around the world seek out ways to shift, avoid, and improve their infrastructure and transport modes to decrease air pollution. Photo by WBUR/Flickr.
Right to breathe: The link between transport and air quality
Today, the highest levels of air pollutants are concentrated in developing cities, particularly in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Motor vehicles contribute between 25 and 75% of this air pollution. In March 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) released ...
"Entrepreneurs passionate about using technology to solve difficult transport problems have the opportunity to turn their ideas into reality. Photo by Benoit colin/Flickr."
Friday Fun: Calling all innovators to the Powerful Answers Award
Do you have an idea that could radically change the world, if only you were given the resources to bring it to fruition? Do you see challenges with sustainability, health, or transport in your community and want to solve them ...
Despite increased investment in mass transport, last-mile connectivity and access to transport hubs remain obstacles for cities across India. Photo by Jack Zalium/Flickr.
Going the last mile: Does connectivity influence sustainable transport usage?
Growing numbers of privately owned automobiles, pollution, and congestion have helped governments in cities across India realize the need for better mass transport systems. Cities like Delhi are now making substantial investments to improve existing systems and implement new measures. ...
Social media, new bus lines, and increasing awareness of the environmental impacts of carbon emissions have altered the public's perception of mass transport in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Mariana Gil/EMBARQ Brasil.
São Paulo’s changing perception towards the car
Earlier this month, the government of São Paulo, Brazil, and METRÔ-SP published the results of the 2012 Mobility Survey. The data is heartening in many ways, for in a city where cars were once seen as symbols of wealth and ...
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