<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"> <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Dear Friends,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> This (just below)  is an interesting letter which has come in this morning in response to that mailing hear you received last week on New Mobility Media.  It is of course encouraging to hear those good words about our collaborative work, but it is that fourth paragraph to which I would particularly draw your attention.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> When we look around our troubled world in the hope of finding some inspiration for ourselves in the form of cities that are getting it right, there are certain number of examples which many of us look at with appreciation -- and of course the city of Copenhagen is all it has accomplished over the last four decades to create a sustainable city is one of those right up at the top.  <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> But this word of caution is not just about Copenhagen. The point I think that Aase makes in such a telling everyday manner here, is similar to insider criticisms that come in over the last months from those who really do care about and understand the complexities of sustainable cities in sustainable transportation, but who also live in a place to which many in the world look on as an example.  We have received similar critical commentaries from insiders concerning current backsliding trends and actions in Curitiba, Bilbao, and Portland, just to take three stellar examples out of a hat.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> What’s the point?  Well the point is that clearly good ideas are not enough, successful implementations are not enough.  It is quite one thing to get a terrific project or program off the ground, and quite another for these successes to be sustained year after year after year.  As we can see in city after city, in case after case, after the first rounds of success it can be so easy to backtrack and let slip even the best projects, policies and actions.  What is called for in addition to all the great things that take place to make the good project happen --  but this is perhaps something that we are not so good  at, yet --  is no less than "eternal vigilance".  Citizens, groups, watchdogs, who do not accept complacency as their role, but rather who understand that continuous attention to detail and performance is vital if the city really is to be a sustainable place.  If I were to see an analogy, would be very much that of the responsibility of parents.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> One of the underlying problems with the transportation sector wherever you happen to be this morning is that it has such a long past and during much of that decisions and actions have been focused for the most part on "infrastructure", the physical rather than the human side of the sector.  This more or less magic word which is receiving a lot of attention in transportation circles in the United States these days as the various interests fight for what they believe is the correct path for the incoming Obama administration, tends to equate mobility with construction and hardware.   Many of the transportation experts are claiming that what we need is more money for highways, roads and bridges, metros and rolling stock, and in expanded deficit support for traditional public transit operations.  This plus a "get the job done" attitude is insufficiently attentive to what is actually going on at the people and actual performance end, including in the long-term.  This is not, I maintain, the mindset that is appropriate for 21st-century cities given the very large challenges and constraints that surround our transportation and mobility choices.  We need to do a lot better than that.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Which brings me back to Sujit Patwardhan’s famous words to this forum of almost a decade ago now: "we are in this for the long slog".  Well if we are in this for the long slog we better be eternally vigilant too. Aase.  Thank you<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Eric Britton<o:p></o:p> - - - - <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> From: Aase Harrekilde-Petersen [mailto:aase@harrekilde.dk] Sent: Monday, 15 December 2008 00:58 <o:p></o:p> <div> Dear Eric!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> I got around to read the lot yesterday, and I must say - I am very impressed by the huge amount of important work you have done in regard to the New Mobility. In the middle of the reading it, I sort of got completely sidetracked by finding myself getting involved with other videos as well - like World Made by Hand, by James Howard Kunstler and the almost 30 minute long speech by Stephen Petranek: 10 Ways the World Could End. I didn't know of these two guys beforehand, and they both show (in the midst of their serious matter)a peculiar sense of humour that I like!<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> But most of all, I was impressed of all that has been done in Paris! Both the Velib/Velo Liberte idea and the Mobilien, would be of major importance for any city world wide - if only the politicians could get their .. in gear – so to speak, we could all benefit from it.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Really many years ago, I read about a politician, a mayor of a medium big city in the Netherlands, who dared both his collages and the public by doing the opposite of what they all expected from him: Instead of giving them the second autobahn they wanted to and from the city, he declared: All busses from the suburbs into the city and vice versa, will be free of charge! As a result, they didn't have the need for an extra motor highway. Everybody thought the mayor to be a bit of a nut, but at the end, they loved him! Sorry I can't remember his name nor which city he came from.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> We are struggling by massive problems by the car traffic from the suburbs into Copenhagen every single morning - and of course the other way in the after-work-hours-times. Still, they haven't done enough by lowering the ticket price for a train ride or to ride the busses - rather the opposite! Oh yes, Copenhagen was one of the first cities to make "walking streets" which from day one have been extremely popular, but the traffic on our roads, nope sir!<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I admire the work you and your new mobility partners are doing, but I am not doing much myself. Oh yes, I walk or bike to the supermarket though, and use the car only when going the 100 -125 km from where I live to Copenhagen - or when going north of the city - like maybe 4-5 times per year. I am involved in a holistic non-profit association I was a co-founder of, back in 1995.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> Best regards, from Aase (a Norwegian in Denmark)<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>