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Traffic
Congestion
Road Accidents
Parking Difficulties
 URBAN
TRANSPORTATION
CHALLENGES
Introduction:

Urban productivity is highly dependent on the efficiency of its

transport system to move labor, consumers, and freight between
multiple origins and destinations. Additionally, transport terminals
such as ports, airports, and railyards are located within urban areas,
helping anchor a city within a regional and global mobility system. Still,
transportation infrastructure and terminals are also contributing to a
specific array of challenges. Some challenges are ancient, like
congestion (which plagued cities such as Rome), while others are new,
like urban freight distribution or environmental impacts.

a. Traffic congestion and parking difficulties

· Congestion is particularly linked with

motorization and the diffusion of the automobile,
which has increased the demand for transport
infrastructures. However, the supply of
infrastructure has often not been able to keep up with
mobility growth. Since vehicles spend the majority of
the time parked, motorization has expanded the
demand for parking space.
a. Traffic congestion and parking difficulties

· Congestion and parking are also interrelated since

street parking consumes transport capacity, removing
one or two lanes for circulation along urban roads.
Parking also impairs deliveries as many delivery vehicles
will double-park at the closest possible spot to unload
their cargo.
b. Longer commuting
On par with congestion, people are spending an increasing
amount of time commuting between their residences and
workplace. An important factor behind this trend is related to
residential affordability as housing located further away from
central areas (where most of the employment remains) is more
affordable. Therefore, commuters are exchanging commuting
time for housing affordability. However, long commuting is
linked with several social problems, such as isolation (less time
spent with family or friends), as well as poorer health (obesity
and underweight). Time spent during commuting is at the
expense of other economic and social activities.
c. Public transport inadequacy
Many public transit systems, or parts of them, are either
over or underused since the demand for public transit is
subject to periods of peaks and troughs. During peak hours,
crowdedness creates discomfort for users as the system
copes with a temporary surge in demand. This creates the
challenge of the provision of an adequate level of transit
infrastructure and service levels. Planning for peak capacity
leaves the system highly under-used during off-peak hours,
while planning for an average capacity will lead to
congestion during peak hours.
d. Difficulties for non-motorized transport
These difficulties are either the outcome of
intense traffic, where the mobility of pedestrians,
bicycles, and other non-motorized vehicles is
impaired, but also because of a blatant lack of
consideration for pedestrians and bicycles in the
physical design of infrastructures and facilities.
On the opposite side, the setting of bicycle paths
takes capacity away from roadways as well as
parking space. A negative outcome would be to
allocate more space for non-motorized transport
than the actual mobility demand, which would
exacerbate congestion.
e. Loss of public space
Most roads are publicly owned and free of access.
Increased traffic has adverse impacts on public
activities, which once crowded the streets, such as
markets, agoras, parades and processions, games, and
community interactions. These have gradually
disappeared to be replaced by automobiles. In many
cases, these activities have shifted to shopping malls,
while in other cases, they have been abandoned
altogether. Traffic flows influence the life and
interactions of residents and their usage of street
space. More traffic impedes social interactions and
street activities.
f. High infrastructure maintenance costs
Cities facing the aging of their transport infrastructure have to
assume growing maintenance costs as well as pressures to
upgrade to more modern infrastructure. In addition to the
involved costs, maintenance and repair activities create
circulation disruptions. Delayed maintenance is rather common
since it conveys the benefit of keeping current costs low, but at
the expense of higher future costs and, on some occasions, the
risk of infrastructure failure. The more extensive the road and
highway network, the higher the maintenance cost and its
financial burden. The same applies to public transit infrastructure
that requires a system-wide maintenance strategy.
g. Environmental impacts and energy consumption
Pollution, including noise generated by circulation,
has become an impediment to the quality of life and
even the health of urban populations. Further, energy
consumption by urban transportation has
dramatically increased, and so the dependency on
petroleum. These considerations are increasingly
linked with peak mobility expectations where high
energy prices incite a shift towards more efficient and
sustainable forms of urban transportation, namely
public transit.
h. Accidents and safety
The growth in the intensity of circulation in
urban areas is linked with a growing number of
accidents and fatalities, especially in
developing economies. Accidents account for
a significant share of recurring delays from
congestion. As traffic increases, people feel
less safe using the streets. The diffusion of
information technologies leads to paradoxical
outcomes. While users have access to reliable
location and navigation information, portable
devices create distractions linked with a rise in
accidents for drivers and pedestrians alike.
i. Land footprint
The footprint of transportation is significant,
particularly for the automobile. Between 30
and 60% of a metropolitan area may be
devoted to transportation, an outcome of
the over-reliance on infrastructures
supporting road transportation. Yet, this
footprint also underlines the strategic
importance of transportation in the
economic and social welfare of cities, as
mobility is a sign of efficiency and
prosperity.
j. Freight distribution
Globalization and the materialization of
the economy have resulted in growing
quantities of freight moving within cities.
As freight traffic commonly shares
infrastructures supporting the circulation
of passengers, the mobility of freight in
urban areas has become increasingly
controversial. The growth of e-commerce
and home deliveries has created additional
pressures on the urban mobility of freight.
City logistics strategies can be established
to mitigate the variety of challenges faced
by urban freight distribution.
 Mitigation of Urban
Transportation Challenges

Incident management. Making sure that vehicles involved in

accidents or mechanical failures are removed as quickly as
possible from the road. Since accidents account for 20 to
30% of all the causes of congestion, this strategy is
particularly important.

Car ownership restrictions. Several cities and countries (e.g.

Singapore) have quotas in the number of license plates that
can be issued or require high licensing fees. To purchase a
vehicle, an individual thus must first secure a license
through an auction. Such strategies, however, go against
market principles.
Sharing vehicles. Concerns two issues. The first is
providing ridership to people (often co-workers) having
a similar origin, destination, and commuting time. Two or
more vehicle trips can thus be combined into one, which
is commonly referred to as carpooling.
Public transit. Offering alternatives to driving can
significantly improve efficiency, notably if it circulates
on its own infrastructure (subway, light rail, buses on
reserved lanes, etc.) and is well integrated within a city’s
development plans. However, public transit has its own
set of issues (see the next section about urban transit
challenges).
Non-motorized transportation. Since most urban trips
are over short distances, non-motorized modes,
particularly walking and cycling, have an important role
in supporting urban mobility. The provision of adequate
infrastructure, such as sidewalks, is often a low priority
as non-motorized transportation is often perceived as
not modern despite the important role it needs to
assume in urban areas.
Activity:
Answer the following :

What are the causes of traffic congestions?

What is the problems face by people in the urban
transportation?
Choose the best way to mitigate urban transportation
challenges according to the discussed topics?
Assignment:
List down any possible solution you might
think to mitigate the Urban Transportation
challenges.
THANK YOU!