The Tom McCall Waterfront Park was created after the removal of the Harbor Drive Expressway in Portland, Ore. Photo by Joel Mann.
The famed U.S. intellectual Lewis Mumford once said, “Forget the damned motor car and build the cities for lovers and friends.” The recently released report on freeway removal from by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy and EMBARQ (the producer of this blog) seems to be getting a bit closer to that ideal, providing case studies on cities that have successfully removed freeways tearing their cities asunder or separating waterfronts from the enjoyment of residents.
The report notes that cities are undertaking these highway removal projects to foster economic development and offer better solutions to meet mobility needs. One additional key aspect to consider is the effect of these highways on quality of life (or “love,” as Mumford might suggest) and public health—from air pollution to traffic crashes to limiting the ability of residents to be active in their daily lives. These considerations will need further research, but several positive benefits can be observed from what already exists.
Heat island and air pollution. Removing a freeway and replacing it with a greener boulevard or park can reduce the “urban heat island” effect and air pollution. In Seoul, Korea, when the city turned the Cheonggyecheon Expressway into a 5.8-kilometer linear park and daylighted stream, this led to a reduction of the heat island effect by as much as 8 degrees Celsius, according to summertime measurements in comparison to nearby paved roadway conditions. According to the new ITDP/EMBARQ report, air quality also improved. Levels of coarse particulate matter, or PM10 (emitted by vehicles and dangerous to human health) decreased between 2002 and 2006 in areas both near and far to Cheonggyecheon, dropping 21 percent near the project, compared to 3 percent farther away. Other pollutants, including NO2 and VOC/BETX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, m+p-Xylene) decreased in areas around Cheonggyecheon after the restoration project. NO2 density went from the average level found in the city to 0.83 times of that in the surrounding area. BETX pollutants around Cheonggyecheon decreased by as much as 65 percent.
Active transport and recreation. Freeway removal is really about shifting priorities from moving cars to moving people. This can result in people being more physically active and healthier. Studies have begun to show that those who travel by mass transport, walking and biking as their main ways of getting around are more physically active than those who primarily use cars. Freeway teardowns not only encourage more active forms of travel, they can create signature recreational amenities for cities, as most of the documented examples have. In Portland, Ore., the 36-acre
sábado, 28 de abril de 2012
Eliminando Autopistas Urbanas se crean oportunidades para mejorar la salud y calidad de vida
domingo, 31 de julio de 2011
Estudian derribar autopista Sheridan en NY, La ciudad saca la lupa » Streetsblog New York City
Otro caso mas donde derribar una autopista urbana redituara en la calidad de vida de la comunidad y en la recuperacion de espacio publico y acceso a areas naturales de valor paisajistico para disfrute de todos, asi como desarrollar vivienda de todo tipo que revitalicen la comunidad.
Aun otro mas ahora en Vancouver, Canada -
http://newurbannetwork.com/article/sole-links-vancouvers-1960s-freeway-plan-may-be-razed-15035
martes, 29 de marzo de 2011
El Final del Camino: Dicen Adios a los Freeways : NPR
La señora 'X', toma diario la carretera West Shoreway desde su casa en Lakewood hasta Cleveland. "Al enterarse que la ciudad planea transformar este viaducto en un bulevard arbolado, mas lento, no quedo contenta".
"Bob Brown, el actual planificador de Cleveland, comenta que ese plan no es un proyecto carretero tradicional. "El proyecto carretero tradicional ha sido siempre con objeto de acelerar las cosas y añadir capacidad, y por supuesto que casi siempre, ignorando el caracter de los vecindarios", y comenta, "Demoler viaductos se ha convertido en lo mas comun, en lo de hoy".
"Para muchas ciudades, el barrio del SoHo en Manhattan representa el vecindario ideal, porque es denso y rico"
El todopoderoso planificador Robert Moses, famoso por los viaductos que construyo en Nueva York, quiso mantenerse firme en hacer ahi carreteras urbanas de 10 carriles.
Pero, afortunadamente, el plan de supercarreteras urbanas de Moses nunca se constrtuyo, y hoy los planificadores urbanos han dado un giro de 180º. Hoy que las ciudades son mucho menos industriales, planificadores como Brown, estan enfocados en sostenibilidad y en hacer posible el caminar a los lugares"
Liga a un articulo sobre la batalla que libró y ganó Jane Jacobs contra el poderoso Robert Moses y su plan de supervias para Manhattan. http://sohomemory.com/2011/03/12/the-master-builder/