Is your city more pedestrian or car oriented?

[Mr_Dru]

Here in Amsterdam the local government is courage people to use the bicycle or use the public transportation.

To park a car in the city centre cost 5 euro (6,60 USD) per hour. Even in the amsterdam surrounded neighborhoods parking cost 3-4 Euro per hour.

The Netherlands cycle path networks are excellent. So it's quicker from the suburbs to the centre with the bike then a car.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by Vectoor

Gothenburg is kinda car oriented for a european city, but we do have a fairly nice tram system and the center has a lot of pedestrian only areas.

Modal split in Gothenburg is better than the majority of European cities of a similar size - Nuremburg, Cologne, Bonn, Freiburg, Dortmund and Essen in Germany (for example) are more car-centric by modal split as only 52% of all journeys in Gothenburg are by car (source).

[fozzy]

Here in Leeds the city centre is mostly pedestrianised which covers a large area and is surrounded by a one way loop system for the surrounding road traffic. I think it works well and there is plenty of public transport from the suburbs into the central area of the city. "I don't drive" and find the city easy to get around and roads into the centre also have cycle lanes.

[Aaronj09]

A large part of Leeds city centre is pedestrianised.





image hosted on flickr




image hosted on flickr


Major routes in the City Centre like The Headrow (very busy) are only open to buses and taxis.

Buses are frequent and you definitely do not need a car to get from one place to another.. even where I live on the very edge of the city, I can easily walk from here to the City Centre..

[tvdxer]

Duluth is definitely car-oriented. However, traffic is generally pretty tranquil, and the main roads have wide shoulders (and those that don't aren't well-trafficked), so it's safer than most cities for bicycling.

However, unless you're a sadist, biking is only practical in Duluth 8-9 months out of the year (and that's if you're tough). Also, it's built on a steep 800 ft / 250m hill, so that can present problems too. Public transportation is extensive, but routes are fairly limited even in populated areas. Very little of Duluth is actually "walkable", and living without a reliable car (ideally a 4WD SUV, truck, or crossover) because of the roads, snow, and ice) here would be a tremendous hassle for most people. In fact, what I have observed about Duluth is even in the case of very walkable trajectories, most people still drive. Even when it's not -30C with a -50C windchill.

[Ribarca]

Before I labelled Hong Kong as less pedestrian oriented. After traveling over Asia and seeing the complete dominance of cars in places like Manila I have changed my mind. Hong Kong is very pedestrian oriented. Few people have a car. The fantastic public transport makes it all work.

[Manila-X]

Originally Posted by Ribarca

Before I labelled Hong Kong as less pedestrian oriented. After traveling over Asia and seeing the complete dominance of cars in places like Manila I have changed my mind. Hong Kong is very pedestrian oriented. Few people have a car. The fantastic public transport makes it all work.

Manila is not fully a car centric city. It is a combination of both pedestrian and automobile. And why do you always give Manila as an example?

It is similar to Bangkok where some areas are for pedestrian and some are for automobiles.

Places like Makati the the tourist / entertainment areas of Manila are more geared for the foot and pedestrian activity in these areas is high. Same with other CBDs like Ortigas.

On the other hand, places like San Juan and Quezon City are more car-centric with the exception of the Cubao area.

[Skyprince]

My city ( Shah Alam ) is VERY VERY VERYY Car-oriented

Its crazy, if I take bus to the neaarest shopping mall it will take nearly an hour + waiting time up to 20mins. I need to change bus too. If I take car its just less than 5 mins

[Vectoor]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

Modal split in Gothenburg is better than the majority of European cities of a similar size - Nuremburg, Cologne, Bonn, Freiburg, Dortmund and Essen in Germany (for example) are more car-centric by modal split as only 52% of all journeys in Gothenburg are by car (source).

I see, I guess I thought more about cities like Stockholm and Copenhagen. The Gothenburg tram is far from as well used as the Stockholm subway.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by Vectoor

I see, I guess I thought more about cities like Stockholm and Copenhagen. The Gothenburg tram is far from as well used as the Stockholm subway.

But these are much bigger cities. I think it's a good idea to see how cities of similar sizes stack up as bigger cities often have better infrastructure and more disincentives to drive due to traffic issues (with some obvious exceptions of course).

But no, the modal split there is nothing to be ashamed of. The tram system is generally pretty good, and certainly better used along with walking and cycling than a number of European cities with more extensive transport networks than Gothenburg (like those German cities I named, they have more extensive rail based transport than Gothenburg, yet worse modal splits).

[licenseplateman]

Växjö, Sweden

Definitely pedestrian...

A lot of people takes their bike or walk instead of driving in my town

Växjö was also named The greenest city in Europe by BBC in 2010 because of the low emission of carbon dioxide

I can post some pictures of Växjö in a few days when I have taken some pictures

Before I lived in Växjö I lived in Ronneby. For Ronneby I would guess that it's mostly pedestrian as well.

[El_Greco]

Cities should be doing everything possible to get people out of cars and onto bikes or public transport. Deaths on the roads, the pollution and the dwindling oil reserves...all of this makes perfect sense to discourage the car use.

[musiccity]

Nashville is extremely car oriented, it is a very sprawled out city with a joke public transport system, and there are few sidewalks. TBH the only pedestrians in the city are the poor.

Nashville needs a subway/light rail system.. we already have the Music City Star but it only has 6 stations and it just serves one part of the Nashville area and only two of the stations are actually in urban areas.

[Mr. Uncut]

Dallas is car oriented for sure! Large sprawl, but at least they trying to improve the public transport system!

[Occit]

Despite Caracas has a lot of highways, is the most walk-able city in Venezuela.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr





http://caracasrefurbished.wordpress.com/

[Manila-X]

US and Canadian cities are mostly car centric including New York City.

But it's downtown areas are walkable and there are signs of pedestrian activity especially in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, Washington DC or Seattle.

LA is definitely a car centric city but pedestrian activity is high in the downtown area and there are enclaves within LA that is suited for walking especially the shopping streets and beachfront areas.

NY as I mentioned has high pedestrian activity especially in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn and The Bronx. But other areas especially those coming from New Jersey, Connecticut and some parts of Queens and Long Island, you might need a car.

The fact traffic can be a serious problem in NY.

[Blackraven]

In Japan, all elements co-exist (cars, pedestrians, trains, buses, taxis, bicycles, etc.)



P.S.
As for the Philippines, I'd probably say it's more car-orientated (especially Metro Manila) with some traces of pedestrianization and rail transport in some places.

[Manila-X]

What is interesting about Japanese cities is it is mostly rail oriented with lots of pedestrian activity in commercial areas.

The fact Japan manufactures lots of automobiles and yet not every Japanese citizen has one.

[Manila-X]

Originally Posted by Blackraven

In Japan, all elements co-exist (cars, pedestrians, trains, buses, taxis, bicycles, etc.)



P.S.
As for the Philippines, I'd probably say it's more car-orientated (especially Metro Manila) with some traces of pedestrianization and rail transport in some places.

Not all. Baguio and Cebu are fully pedestrian oriented plus commuting activity is high.

[Blackraven]

Originally Posted by Manila-X

What is interesting about Japanese cities is it is mostly rail oriented with lots of pedestrian activity in commercial areas.

The fact Japan manufactures lots of automobiles and yet not every Japanese citizen has one.

Hehe actually Japan has a very big auto market and domestic population of automobiles is like the Top 5 in the world (I think they're under USA and China but more than Brazil and Germany I think).

Like I said, in Japan, ALL elements co-exist. You have pedestrians, trains, cars, taxi cabs, bicycles, motorbikes, a few traditional rickshaws, etc.

Everything in harmony imho