I think I already said that I’m reading Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence days earlier. I’ve finished reading it (along with more than 5 books about Old Manila) during my 4.5 hour school break earlier this day. The main point the book asserts a dissension of the conventional wisdom, Traffic Jams = Build Wider Roads.
Generally since European Cities are old and planned when cars are still not invented, pedestrianizing the traffic and reducing traffic congestion is not a big menace to Europe. Medieval European Cities are actually the Walkable cities so change did not come so hard for Europe to overcome their Auto dependence.
Automobile or Car dependence is generally observed in some American and Australian Cities, whose land area permits a less dense urban sprawl. This phenomenon is now being observed in developing Asia like the Philippines.
The book actually traces the history of cities into its transport priorities. There are walking cities, transit cities and the Automobile Cities. Spanish Intramuros was our Walking City, Manila is our Transit City and Metro Manila is our Automobile City. We are vying for the Sustainable City, where walking, transit and automobile are in harmony and does not cause much degradation to the city and to the environment. Actually, we are still in the transition between the Automobile and the Sustainable City: Manila wants to free itself from Automobile Dependence but it is still reluctant to do so.
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@6 months ago with 79 notes
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#Sustainable Development #Transportation
Yesterday, we had the Jaywalking Photowalk in 4 districts of Manila from Quiapo to Intramuros with certain Tumblr People, this was organized by @litratonijuan. Everytime I wander through and brave the harsh roads of the city, I find one thing wrong about Manila, after another. This time, since I already finished the last of the required Transportation Engineering courses for my degree, I spotted one thing that is one of our greatest turn offs to foreign tourists. If you don’t observe it, foreign tourists walk through the city. Filipinos they ride a tricycle or a jeep if the distance to travel goes beyond a hundred meters. Foreigners usually walk or run up to 300 meters to the nearest cab, subway, train or bus station.
Foreign tourists, especially Europeans and Americans love to walk the city to explore and unfortunately, Manila’s roads are not pedestrian friendly. Vehicles are given the utmost priority. Of course, we learned that we have to give equal priorities to human transport and vehicle transport in designing transport facilities (roads, intersections and pedestrian crossing). The best road design does not give every vehicle a chance to drive at breakneck speeds, but does give ample time for pedestrians to walk over, and ample time for vehicles to drive at efficient speeds.
Manila before the war was successful because these criteria for transportation designs are met. Manila in the past was so walk-able you could see what sights are are inside the city. The roads of Binondo, Quiapo and Intramuros already existed before the cars were invented so people either have to ride a kalesa or literally walk through the city, they were not designed for these modern cars.
This pedestrian mess is a big issue that is anchored on our traffic system failure and the challenges on developing an environmentally sustainable transportation system in the country. This is one big issue that the city needs to address if it is to boost its local tourist industry in the years to come.
To enjoy the sights of a place, one has to walk through it to see all what you someone has see. This is the same ploy your favorite super malls use for consumerist purposes. This is also one of the thing why Filipinos do not appreciate their city, they ride endlessly even at distances covering just hundreds of meters.
A walkable city is a healthy city.
PS: Comments about this are welcome :)
@6 months ago with 120 notes
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#transportation #sustainability #manila #pinoy #philippines #urbaneyesores
