Urban Transport in the OIC Megacities
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transportation industry in the US to transform the design and construction of public streets into places
that improve the quality of human life and the environment rather than simply move vehicles from
place to place (Project for Public Spaces, no date).
3.12.3. Human dimension of developing cities
In most cities of the developing world there are not enough streets and those that exist are either not
well designed or well maintained. In most city cores, less than 15% of land is allocated to streets and
the situation is worse in the suburbs where less than 10% of land is allocated to streets. In the case of
poor areas and slums, however, the concepts of walkability and social interaction in streets are not
applicable. While in developed regions it is assumed that a walkable street is more attractive to people
for various reasons, and in fact, defines the “liveability” of a street, in slum areas of many cities of the
developing world walking on streets is not a choice, but a necessity due to lack of other affordable
transport alternatives (UN, 2013a).
Ironically, in the cities of the developing world, where rich people tend to live in gated communities,
the existence of well-planned and served streets does not imply social and cultural interactions
amongst neighbours. The relatively more walkable streets in high income areas do not encourage
people to use them, partly because walking is associated with poverty. Rich people will often use their
cars for the shortest trips, and thus it is not unusual to see empty streets and sidewalks in high income
areas (UN, 2013a).
Another common feature of housing areas with high population density and few economic resources
in megacities is that outdoor space has a particularly large bearing on living conditions. Where
possible, many ordinary activities are taking place outdoors, on streets, squares or other public spaces.
In many regions, culture, tradition and climate have contributed to extensive outdoor life involving
handcrafts, street exhibitors, street trade on sidewalks and street kitchens (Gehl, 2010). In addition,
in many cities of the developing as well developed world, street vending represents an avenue for
entrepreneurship. Streets are the starting point of businesses for immigrants because they are
cheaper to operate than established shops. All these features of daily life are threatened daily by traffic
and parking requirements. Public space is reduced and negatively affected by noise, pollution and
insecurity (UN, 2013a).
Initiatives for redesigning streets as public spaces are taking place in cities in Africa, Asia and Latin
America on a smaller scale. The most notable examples come from Latin America and cities like
Bogota, Mexico City and Sao Paulo. Local government initiatives along with collective citizen actions
are supporting design measures to enhance the pedestrian environment such as expanding sidewalks,
planting trees and installing benches and other seating. All these initiatives have a common set of
objectives to enhance environmental sustainability, social interaction, public health, productivity and
social inclusion, all key components of urban prosperity (UN, 2013a). Examples of collective actions
include the Colombian independent national initiative “La Cuidad Verde” that promotes sustainability
in cities by organizing educational events, maintaining cycle lanes and pedestrian crossing and raising
awareness on the benefits of cycling and the safety issues cyclists are facing (La Cuidad Verde, 2015).