From pardo at despacio.org Wed May 4 18:52:42 2016 From: pardo at despacio.org (Carlosfelipe Pardo) Date: Wed, 4 May 2016 06:52:42 -0300 Subject: [sustran] Bicycle Infrastructure Guide for Colombian Cities Message-ID: [image: Inline images 1] During the second half of 2015, Despacio was busy putting together the ?*Bicycle Infrastructure Guide for Colombian Cities? *for the Colombian Ministry of Transport . This is the country?s first attempt to formally coordinate the design and implementation of bicycle infrastructure in its cities. Despacio created the guide in conjunction with the Spanish consulting firm Gea21 . More info (and download link for the guide): http://despacio.org/en/2016/02/22/bicycle-infrastructure-guide-for-colombian-cities/ -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: portada guia.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 199541 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20160504/66c6e97b/portadaguia-0001.jpg From yanivbin at gmail.com Thu May 5 18:48:00 2016 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 15:18:00 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Hyderabad Metro project faces 18-month delay Message-ID: http://realty.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/infrastructure/hyderabad-metro-project-faces-18-month-delay/52120598 Hyderabad Metro project faces 18-month delayS N Subrahmanyan, Deputy Managing Director and President, L&T said they are in discussions with the government on the delay and possible financial implications on the project. PTI | 05 May 2016, 1:30 PM IST HYDERABAD: L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail, a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro which is implementing the Rs 16,000-crore elevated metro rail project here, today said the work is expected to be delayed by almost 18 months. "There is a delay in the project due to various reasons. The present projection is that we are likely to complete the project by December 2018. Earlier, it was projected that we would be able to complete it by July 2017," MD and CEO of L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (LTMRHL), V B Gadgil told reporters. S N Subrahmanyan, Deputy Managing Director and President, L&T and Chairman of LTMRHL said they are in discussions with the government on the delay and possible financial implications on the project. "Naturally, the talks are going on with the government. Let's see how we will take it forward," Subrahmanyan said, when asked whether the concession period would be extended by the government due to the delay. The company has so far pumped in Rs 9,000 crore into the project, including Rs 2,700 crore equity component, A senior official of LTMRHL said adding the project includes constructing a 72-km elevated metro rail and development of retail space. Meanwhile, it was informed Shivanand Nimbargi is set to take over as MD and CEO of LTMRHL on May 31. Prior this, he was the holding the same posts at Sembcorp Green Infra Ltd. GDK SDL ABI From yanivbin at gmail.com Fri May 6 00:31:25 2016 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 21:01:25 +0530 Subject: [sustran] What The AAP Should Learn From Odd-Even Message-ID: http://www.caravanmagazine.in/vantage/tenth-delhi-aap-learn-odd-even Tenth Delhi: What the AAP Should Learn From Odd-Even URBAN PLANNING Tenth Delhi: What The AAP Should Learn From Odd-Even Last summer, during the height of the dengue outbreak in Delhi, the deputy chief minister of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Manish Sisodia, made spot visits to schools to check on their preparedness for dengue outbreaks. At a government boys? school in north west Delhi, Sisodia found classrooms being used as parking lots for the vehicles of the faculty and staff. To anyone who lives in Delhi, Sisodia?s discovery would likely come as no surprise. In India?s capital, while the rights to education, health and security are not always guaranteed, the car-owner?s right to parking has become almost inalienable. Delhi is far friendlier to cars than it is to people. Vehicles operate in an elaborate feudal order on the city?s roads: the size of your car, and the fact that you own one, demonstrates your relative power and dictates the right of way. Delhi has the highest percentage of road space of any major city in the country ?space that has only increased over the past two decades with the construction of nearly 100 flyovers . In that time, the number of cars in the city has grown at roughly three times the rate of its population. But car users form a surprisingly small percentage of the city. Car trips form only 20 percent of all motor vehicle trips taken every day in Delhi, and at least 60 percent of all trips are made using public transport?buses, metro and auto rickshaws. In this context, the Delhi government?s recent ?Odd-Even? experiment, whose second iteration concluded this Saturday, on 30 April, has proved?perhaps unintentionally?to be very revealing. The original intent of the scheme?to lower pollution levels in the city by lowering vehicular emissions?remains contested; the immediate effect of the scheme was instead a reduction in traffic and road congestion . During the two weeks of the scheme, road space miraculously appeared for the majority of Delhi citizens, who commute by bus, auto, bike, cycle or on foot. The trials reiterated the existence of a different Delhi, one that has been forming for the last three decades: the ?Tenth Delhi,? most of which does not use cars, does not live in planned colonies or work in formal businesses. The more democratic allotment of space that occurred during odd-even has implications beyond transport and roads. It raises the question of what a democratic city?in which the majority of the population is given importance instead of the elite few?should look like. In his 1964 book, *An Area of Darkness*, VS Naipaul wrote that Delhi was ?a city built for giants.? And indeed, if you walk in Lutyens? Delhi or the planned parts of the post-colonial city, his meaning becomes evident?enormously wide avenues that are difficult to cross, huge city blocks, and footpaths fortified by boundary walls that become deserted after dark because they are not lined with any shops. In the residential colonies, there are empty parks, streets choked with parked cars, and huge flats that are too costly for the city?s new migrant middle-class. Simply put, there is far too much space being used by too few people. Meanwhile, the rest of the city lives in some of the most densely packed quarters in urban India. Walk across from the planned colonies of Saket to nearby Said-ul-Ajaib, or from the flats of Dwarka to Mahavir Enclave, or from Vasant Kunj?s sectors to Mahipalpur, and you will see a contrast where there are almost no parks and no broad avenues. Houses are stuck to one another, alleys and lanes are crammed with shops and pedestrians. It would be irresponsible to imagine these spaces as slums, or inhabited only by the poor. Greatly varied in amenities and pricing, these are the homes of the majority of people that live in the city today. Since the 1991 census, the population of Delhi has roughly doubled, from 9.4 million to an estimated 19 million. For millions of Delhi-ites who have arrived in the city in the last three decades, the non-planned areas are not only places of affordable housing, but also of employment. In the early 1970s, the urbanist Patwant Singh coined the term the ?Ninth Delhi? to describe the capital built after Partition?a city of refugee colonies and planned residential areas that were governed by the Delhi Development Authority, and the Master Plan, a legal document that had been formulated a few years earlier, and which laid out the plan for urban development for the next two decades. Singh?s use of ?ninth? was a reference to the earlier versions of Delhi, from the mythical Indraprastha?the residence of the Mahabharata?s Pandavas (the first city), through the medieval sultanates and Mughal settlements, to Lutyens? Delhi (the eighth city). The Ninth City was born of Partition. Between the years of 1948 and 1953, Jawaharlal Nehru?s government scrambled to build rehabilitation colonies for refugees. Delhi?s population grew from 920,000 in 1941 to 1.7 million a decade later . The need for a citywide planning authority became apparent and, in 1957, the central government set up the Delhi Development Authority, or DDA. In 1962, the government developed the first Master Plan, to be implemented by the DDA for the next two decades. Between 1951 and 1991, the population of Delhi grew from 1.7 million to 9.4 million. In his recent book *Triumphs and Tragedies of Ninth Delhi*, Jagmohan, the former lieutenant governor of Delhi, wrote that, in that time, the DDA acquired a whopping 72,000 acres of land in the city. By the 1990s, the DDA had built 14 lakh housing units and ambitious planned colonies such as Dwarka, Pushp Vihar, Saket and Rohini, as well as office complexes such as Nehru Place and Bhikaji Cama Place. It also built over 100 parks and forests. Much of the area acquired by the DDA was farmland belonging to Jat and Gujjar families, original residents of the area around the Eighth City. These families continued to live in ever-decreasing portions of their land, which the DDA did not acquire but designated as ?urban villages,? cordoned off by a ?Lal dora,? or red boundary, on a map?a zone of exception in an otherwise planned space. These urban villages are easily discernible even today. If you walk around present-day Vasant Kunj, Hauz Khas, or Maharani Bagh ?just about anywhere around the planned areas of the city?somewhere nearby you will find a ?village,? with people who used to graze their buffalo on the land, or grew wheat and maize in the erstwhile fields. The Tenth City of Delhi was born of economic liberalisation. After 1991, people moved in droves to Delhi, to find jobs, for education and other newly available opportunities. Over the last 25 years, the population doubled, from 9.4 million in 91 to an estimated 19 million today. But space?or planned space?has remained scarce. The DDA?s planned development could not keep pace with migration and economic change occurring in the city. In a 2013 article for the journal the *Economic and Political Weekly*, titled ?Planned Illegalities,? the urban planning expert Gautam Bhan studied how the failings of the DDA?s plans contributed to pattern of illegal settlement in the city. Bhan noted that the DDA itself admitted that it built 4 lakh fewer housing units than it was mandated to, and that 88 percent of that shortfall was in housing for the ?Economically Weaker Sections? (EWS)?for the poor. In that shortfall, a range of unplanned housing options mushroomed in the city to meet the demands of migrants in Urban Villages, as well as informal or illegal forms such as Jhuggi Jhopri (or JJ) Clusters and Unauthorised Colonies?two types of settlements where residents are squatters on the land they occupy. Much of what has come up today as Unauthorised Colonies or JJ Clusters are on land that the DDA acquired but never developed, and on which enterprising land dealers settled migrants. Elsewhere, such developments are on areas that are urban village land, or on other agricultural land that has been illegally turned into residential housing. According to a report written by the researchers Shahana Sheikh and Subhadra Banda for the Centre for Policy Research, only a fifth of city?s residents live in planned areas. Most people in Delhi live and work in spaces that are ?informal??legally, these places should not exist. According to Sheikh and Banda, there are at least 1000 unauthorised colonies occupied by 35 percent of the city?s population, and many more millions live in the JJ clusters, which are also technically illegal. Millions of others live in legal, but unplanned areas such as Urban Villages or ?Unauthorised Regularised? Colonies?those that have undergone a process of legal recognition by the state government, and whose residents have, in some cases, even been given land titles. For millions of Delhi-ites, these areas are also places of work, because they are the locations of thousands of workshops, warehouses and small businesses. According to the 2005 Economic Census of Delhi, three out of every four businesses in the city are informal?they have no legal registration papers, and are beyond the regulation of the government. In the summer of 2013, Durba Chattaraj, an anthropologist at Ashoka University, Moulshri Joshi, who teaches architecture at the School of Planning and Architecture, and I conducted a multi-disciplinary case study of Taimoor Nagar, an area near Okhla that has DDA flats, an urban village, a JJ cluster, and an Unauthorised Colony?in other words, a range of housing types representative of the Tenth City. By gathering house-to-house survey data, we discovered that ordering and regulation of water, electricity and other services in these spaces is often arranged through local-level politics, such as through the MLA. Among those in the area who voted, for instance, more than a third had met their MLA personally to get work done. In a metropolis where the majority of settlements are unplanned, and the majority of employment informal, this indicates that changes in spatial ordering have political implications. In Delhi, state governments have historically reacted to these areas with indifference and non-interference, while periodically providing sops during elections. The residents of these areas have divergent needs in terms of schools, health care, transport, land rights, and safety, among others. For example, unlike JJ Clusters, Unauthorised Colonies are almost never demolished or resettled. Sheikh and Banda?s study had also found that, in many cases, the extension of state services such as water and sewage have also been linked to having ?regularised? status, and so all major political parties court voters in these areas with the promise and lure of regularisation each election cycle, often only to drop the issue until the next election. But it is in these areas that a constituency for the AAP has emerged. In Patel Nagar, for instance?a constituency whose winning party has always formed the Delhi government?there were reports that during the AAP?s first 49-day rule, there was a decline in harassment by the police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi employees toward those that live and work in places that are unauthorised, informal or illegal. There were similar reports elsewhere in the city. For the residents of these areas, paying bribes or ?haftas? to the local authorities in order to be allowed to run their shops or live in their homes is an important issue, among others that, to them, the AAP seems intent to fix. The AAP?s state assembly election victory in 2013 and then its whitewash win in 2015, saw, perhaps for the first time, the Tenth City emerge as a political entity? joined not by community or caste, but by space. The areas where AAP dominated in the 2015 elections included vast unplanned parts of the city like Badarpur and Sangam Vihar. In a geographically stratified city, the victory was also the assertion of the demographic power of the unplanned spaces that make up the majority of the city. At one level, AAP?s promises of a corruption-free city for the common man, seem to have meant things such as less harassment by police and MCD of informal businesses and in unauthorised settlements. But an anti-corruption agenda does not address the structural problem of a city where the majority of the residents are crammed into the margins. Delhi still remains a city that denies the majority of its citizens the basic dignity of being able to live on the right side of the law. Forty years ago, the urbanist writer Jai Sen published an essay in the monthly journal *Seminar* , called the ?Unintended City.? The essay was based on his experiences in community-based planning in Kolkata. The lives of the migrants to the city, Sen wrote, ?are made difficult and sometimes illegal, all because of conflict with the codes of the ruling urban citizens.? ?The use of the word ?illegal? here is wrong and immoral,? he continued, ??extra-legal? outside the present law, is really the condition. If the lives of such a large proportion of citizens can be defined as illegal, then it is time to look at how relevant our laws are.? This requires creative and radical rethinking of urban policies and laws so that they can serve the majority of a city?s residents. Though it may not have intended to do so, Odd-Even showed that such democratic forms of ordering the city for the benefit of the majority are possible. This experiment should be the beginning of innovation by the AAP government across the policy spectrum. Kushanava Choudhury is a writer based in Delhi. He has taught political theory and worked as a journalist. From pardo at despacio.org Sat May 7 07:59:06 2016 From: pardo at despacio.org (Carlosfelipe Pardo) Date: Fri, 6 May 2016 17:59:06 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Motivations for motorcycle use for Urban travel in Latin America: A qualitative study Message-ID: Motivations for motorcycle use for Urban travel in Latin America: A qualitative study - Jonas Xaver Hagen a , , , - CarlosFelipe Pardo b , , - Johanna Burbano Valente c , doi:10.1016/j.tranpol.2016.04.010 Highlights ? We carried out interviews and focus groups with urban motorcycle transport users. ? Motorcycles offered participants important time and cost advantages. ? Participants recognized the high risk of traffic injury and other health issues. ? The research revealed important social aspects of motorcycle use. ? Policy implications include the need to improve public transportation. ------------------------------ Abstract Motorcycle use for utilitarian trips in Latin American cities has grown significantly in recent years. The researchers used qualitative methods to understand the motivations of motorcycle users that might contribute to this growth in six cities: Barranquilla, Bogot? (Colombia), S?o Paulo, Recife (Brazil), Caracas (Venezuela), and Buenos Aires (Argentina). Researchers used semi-structured interviews and focus groups to gather data from six categories of motorcycle users: motorcycle taxi drivers, motorcycle taxi users, motorcyclists for delivery, motorcyclists for private use, owners in the process of selling their motorcycles, and potential motorcyclists (those seeking to buy motorcycles). Common themes emerged across the six cities, including the time advantage that motorcycles offered versus deficient public transportation and congested auto traffic, the low cost of motorcycles versus other transport modes, the vulnerability of motorcyclists to traffic injury and death, and cultural aspects of motorcycle use. Policy implications include the need to make motorcycle travel safer and improve public transportation in Latin American cities. Keywords - Latin America; - Public health; - Motorcycles; - Motorcycle taxi; - Motorcycle delivery; - Qualitative method - Full article: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2016.04.010 From yanivbin at gmail.com Mon May 16 03:07:54 2016 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Sun, 15 May 2016 23:37:54 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Why Flyovers Will Fall Message-ID: http://www.epw.in/journal/2016/19/perspectives/why-flyovers-will-fall.html Why Flyovers Will Fall Decline of the Civil Engineering Profession in India Shirish B Patel shirish@spacpl.com ) is a civil engineer and urban planner who was in charge of planning, design and execution in Navi Mumbai during its first five years. The coal secretary recently blamed the "5Cs"-- Central Vigilance Commission, Central Information Commission, Central Bureau of Investigation, Comptroller and Auditor General and the courts--for inhibiting quick and effective decision-making and impeding the country's development. The steady and continuing decline of the civil engineering profession in India has its roots in policies mandated by the Comptroller and Auditor General in regard to the procurement of consultancy services. The collapse of a flyover under construction in Kolkata on 31 March killed 26 people and injured 90. The flooding in Chennai in early December 2015 killed 280 and what was inexplicable was how long it took for the floods to recede. These disasters, and many more in recent years, illustrate their common root: the decline of the civil engineering profession in India, and the evolution of government procurement policies in regard to professional services that initiated and now increasingly accelerate this decline. These policies encourage the appointment of civil engineering professionals who quote the lowest fee, not those who can deliver the best outcomes.1 Contrast this with the way one would select a doctor or a lawyer or a chartered accountant. *What Is Civil Engineering?* Seventy years ago, at the time of independence, the top choice of young students entering engineering colleges was civil engineering; followed by mechanical, then electrical and finally metallurgical engineering. Today it is computer science, electronics, electrical engineering, followed by mechanical or metallurgical, with the last, least desired option being civil engineering. There is practically no student now for whom civil engineering is the first choice on entering an engineering college. No wonder that for nearly all graduates today civil engineering is a rite of passage into the job market, not a profession that inspires commitment or passion. Before asking what has occasioned this amazing decline it might be worthwhile to spell out what civil engineering is all about. Earlier it was often concerned with ??directing the great forces of nature for the benefit of mankind,? which led to a preoccupation with dams, hydroelectric projects, irrigation canals and massive water supply schemes. But at all times, its central concern has been the totality of the built environment, including roads, railways, bridges, harbours and every conceivable kind of building, from a simple house to a skyscraper or a stadium. Respect for the natural environment was always an important concern, as can be seen from the design of so many bridges that are aesthetically pleasing and blend well into their surroundings. An equally important goal in civil engineering is economy. It used to be said that a civil engineer can do for one rupee what any fool can do for two. Economy in project cost and economy in the use of raw materials are both fundamental objectives for a civil engineer. *Respect for the Environment* Civil engineering has many specialisations within it, like roads and railways, docks and harbours, bridges, tunnels, water supply, sewerage, drainage, structural engineering for buildings, among others. The most recent entrant to this diverse group is environmental engineering?a branch of civil engineering that deals with minimising any damage that may be caused to the natural environment by a particular construction project. The best demonstration of this integration of environmental concerns with a major construction project is perhaps Hong Kong?s new Chek Lap Kok airport. Two small hilly islands, 25 km distant from the city?s downtown, were flattened and the rubble from cutting them was used to fill the space between. Connecting to the mainland for both high-speed rail and road traffic required two bridges and two tunnels and a six-lane expressway. In the context of all this massive work, extending over seven years, the Hong Kong government took several mitigation measures to keep the loss of wildlife and habitats at a minimum. Ecological studies of the local wetlands, seagrass beds, and mangrove communities were undertaken, resulting in the replanting of mangroves and woodlands and the relocation of a colony of Romer?s Tree Frogs (Howlett 1996). The British Airports Authority provided airports expertise, but the entire design and engineering was entrusted to three private consulting firms.2 After 70 years of independence, there is no Indian design firm that could provide even a tiny fraction of the capability required for such a project. We need to ask ourselves why. *In-house vs Consultancy Skills* At independence, consulting firms in the field of civil engineering were few and tiny. There were some architectural practices, and small firms of structural engineers, with a handful of larger firms, rarely exceeding 100 personnel in size, providing services mainly to steel plants and big industry. The engineering knowhow was scattered among officers in government, who practised their skills almost entirely on their own turf, almost never being invited to apply these skills elsewhere in the country. Typical among these was N V Modak, who was city engineer for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and in that capacity oversaw the construction of Vaitarna Dam (the lake is also called Modaksagar Lake) and the strengthening of Tansa Dam, both critical to the water supply of Mumbai. He also had expertise in sewage handling and garbage disposal, and reclamation of low-lying land. He published a book on town and country planning, co-authored with V N Ambedkar, and together with Albert Mayer published *An Outline of a Master Plan for Greater Bombay*. But his skills, however remarkable, remained confined to the area under the jurisdiction of his employer, the BMC. He, and the support team he must have inevitably built up, could serve no wider clientele. Similarly, the Bombay Port Trust (BPT) engineers developed considerable expertise in the design and supervision of a variety of marine structures, from jetties to quay walls to dry docks and their gates. But that team and their skills were again confined to the area under the jurisdiction of their employer, the BPT. If BPT had decided to have an independent consultancy arm, it could have advised ports around the country. Certainly its officers had the necessary experience at that time, and could have trained their younger colleagues. Ideally, given the experience their design and supervision staff had, and given that the BPT had not much further immediate work in mind, it would have been ideal if the design and supervision staff had been hived off into an independently-managed consultancy firm. The merit of an external consultancy service over in-house skills is that the expertise acquired by the consultant can be extended to other projects elsewhere in the country or abroad, and this builds up their expertise further. Next time you want something done in-house, you have access to all the skills you had earlier, now further enhanced. Good consulting firms are always those that protect their client?s interests, and keep this at the forefront of their minds. They act as if they were on the employees? payroll of the client. In effect they are the client?s temporary, specialised professional arm in their particular area of expertise. They act on behalf of the client to protect his interests above all else?it is only on that basis that they can earn a reputation and attract not only new clients but also repeat clients, the older ones, who will come back to them again and again. Ideally?although this is not always found in practice?the consultant should put his client?s interests above his own, offering a better solution even if it means more work for himself. There is one caveat to the primacy of the client in the mind of the consulting civil engineer. And this is that the ultimate client, the one that stands even above the one that is paying his fees, is the public. The interest of the public is paramount, and overrides everything else. So, for example, if a major new dry dock is to be built in South Mumbai, which is not a particularly sensible location from the point of view of inviting enemy attack to a concentration of both people and installations, nor is it economical compared to other locations in the country on account of the extensive reclamation required, then it behoves the responsible civil engineer to protest that such a project is against the national interest, instead of participating in the invitation to bid for the assignment. Civil engineering consultancy fees are usually a tiny fraction of total project cost. The difference between a good consultant and an indifferent one will invariably reflect in life cycle costs for the project. This includes not just initial costs, which should anyway be close to the lowest possible, but also the repeat costs (and client headaches) on account of subsequent maintenance and repairs. The resulting savings in the project can sometimes far exceed the totality of the consultancy fee. If the consultant is well above average, the client will be rewarded not only with an economical and trouble-free project that functions well, but also one that is aesthetically pleasing. *Procurement Procedures* When selecting a lawyer or a doctor, no client asks for competitive bidding, and then awards the work to the lowest bidder because a low fee is invariably, and correctly, associated with inferior service. When a client?s personal interests are at stake, he will always look for the best lawyer or doctor he can find within the fee that he is prepared to pay. Contrast this with the way in which government organisations, and some private ones too, select their civil engineering consultants. There is a faint nod in the direction of the notion that quality matters in professional services. The government agency responsible for a project can make a short list of approved consultants. And even among these there can be a ranking according to competence. This leads to the 80:20 formula, where 80 marks are assigned for technical competence, and only 20 to the financial bid. This looks eminently reasonable, and gives the impression that a high weightage is being given to quality. But in practice, the 80 marks are divided into so many for financial strength, so many for number of staff, so many for previous experience of such projects (regardless of whether you did a good or a bad job), and so many for the technical quality of the proposal. Anyone with less than 70 marks is ruled out. So the client is left with a short list of consultants who have technical marks within a very narrow range, generally between 70 and 80 marks, put together on merit plus a number of peripheral considerations. Now we come to the financial bid. All bids are opened and the lowest bidder is given a mark of 20. Everyone else gets a mark depending on the ratio of his bid to that of the lowest bidder, multiplied by 20. Thus if someone quotes twice as much as the lowest bidder he will get 10 marks and someone who quotes higher will get even less. So if any competent professional puts in a bid with a perfectly reasonable fee, anyone else who has made it to the short list has only to quote half that amount and be assured of a 10-point advantage in the computation of marks. The underbidder will almost certainly get the job. To make ends meet he must then either (i) extract money from contractors because it is in his hands to certify their payment (and remember that implicit in this is some softening of quality control), or (ii) underpay his staff, or (iii) depend on novices, or (iv) cut corners in developing the design, the consequences of which will be, at the very least, to push up project costs, if not actually endanger the design. Whichever it is, the client gets an inferior design, and probably almost certainly spends much more on the project than he has saved on consulting fees through this process of selection. Mixing financial bids with evaluation of merit is a sure way of ensuring that the best consultant will not be selected. The World Bank earlier had an excellent system of consultant selection. All those invited to bid were asked to submit their technical proposal and their financial bid in separate sealed envelopes. First, only all the technical proposals were opened. Selection was on merit alone, all aspects considered, usually by a committee. Then the financial bid of only the selected best consultant was opened. If negotiations with him concluded satisfactorily, then all the remaining financial bids were returned unopened. If negotiations failed, then the bid of the top ranked consultant was put aside, and the financial bid of the second-best was opened, with the clear understanding that the client could never go back to the first bidder. This ensured that the client would be reasonable in his negotiations. It was a simple way of ensuring that work was awarded to the best, or close to best consultant, evaluated on purely technical grounds, undiluted by monetary savings. Another simple way of selecting the best consultant would be for the client to fix the fee he wants to pay. Selection would then be from among the consultants who are prepared to work for this fee. Thereafter the selection process proceeds to select the best qualified entrant. It may be that some desirable consultants are not prepared to work for the fee on offer. In that case the client needs to up his fee to the point at which such superior consultants are prepared to work on the project. At any rate, such a process ensures that work is assigned on merit, among those competing. As a consequence, firms will then strive to increase their own merit, over time, rather than focusing on how to cut their fees. In any case, savings in consultancy fees are often trivial in the context of the total project. Savings resulting from more efficient design, particularly at the conceptual stage, can far outweigh the total consultancy fee. One personal experience of a project in Bengaluru was the addition of a latecomer to the shortlist, on instructions from Delhi. This latecomer quoted a fee 1% below that of the best consultant. The chief engineer privately said he knew that by awarding work to the lowest the project cost would go up by 25%, but his hands were tied by audit, and he said he had no option but to award the work to the lowest bidder. Project costs did indeed go up, by more than the anticipated 25%, and the low bidder eventually earned the same fee that would have been paid to the best consultant. But the client ended up with a much costlier project overall. So what indeed did the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)?s procedures achieve in this case? The answer is: a poorer quality project at significantly higher total cost and all in the name of minimising corruption. The long-term consequence of this consultant selection process has been that fees have steadily drifted downwards. Consultants themselves are much to blame for this, by striving always to undercut each other. Their focus is no longer on keeping up with the latest developments, or on improving the quality of their work. The focus is on cutting costs. One result is that civil engineers? salaries have steadily fallen, until now they are well below those of their peers in other professions. This discourages new entrants, who are increasingly the dregs among those who enter engineering college. Quality further declines. *Design and Build Contracts* As a result of bad experiences with consultants, clients are increasingly inclined to award work to contractors on a ?design and build? basis. That is, the contractor is asked to take responsibility also for the design, and is free to choose the consultant with whom he wants to work. The consultant?s design is often ?proof-checked,? which means that another ?proof consultant? is appointed by the client, for a trivial fee, to check and approve the calculations of the main designer. This approval provides no room for conceptual improvement in the design, or indeed protection against uneconomical and over safe designs. It merely provides a check that according to calculations the design is safe. There is no check that it is indeed close to the most economical, thus defeating one of the key objectives of good civil engineering. But there is a much stronger reason for not awarding ?design and build? projects where the contractor has no financial interest in the project after its completion. Flyovers are a typical example where the contractor has simply to deliver the project, and that is the end of the client?contractor relationship. In such cases it is always better to have a consultant who does the design, and a contractor who executes the work. This is because the objectives of consultant and contractor are different. The consultant?s basic objective is to protect the interests of his client (from whom he expects much future repeat work). The contractor?s is to make a profit. The contractor will want to get away with minimum compliance with specifications. The consultant will want high quality and minimal subsequent maintenance problems. His overseeing of the contractor?s work is a vital part of the project process. He provides the necessary checks to ensure that the project is built with the quality that his design demands. Indeed, contractors? and consultants? objectives are so different that some consultants are known to produce one kind of design for a contractor who is their client, and a different kind of design when the owner is their client. For a contractor they will cut corners and produce a minimal design that best uses the equipment the contractor already has. For an owner they will produce a design that is optimal for the project, with a minimum of maintenance headaches thereafter. To get the best of both worlds, the client should appoint a consultant who prepares a design on the basis of which tenders are invited from contractors. But contractors should also be permitted to submit alternatives with their own design. If this is found cheaper, the client?s consultant much check and approve the design, and supervise construction, as before. If the consultant sees his job as being that of protecting his client?s best interests, these may well be served by accepting an efficient alternative to his own design. It must be admitted however that not all consultants are open-minded and self-confident enough to admit that in particular circumstances there could be alternatives superior to their own design. The ?design and build? alternative, when entered into directly by a client, without a designer of his own, works only if the contractor has a financial interest in the performance of the project after completion. This can apply, for example, to airport design, where the contractor has the concession to subsequently operate the airport for a specified period of time. It can apply to highway design where a toll is to be collected, and the contractor who built the highway is charged with its maintenance at his own cost thereafter for the full concession period. *Conclusions* The flyover under construction in Kolkata was presumably allowed under a design and build contract. There was no independent designer answerable to the owner, to verify the construction, and whose reputation hung on a trouble-free and successful outcome. Several officers of the contracting company have been arrested and charged with murder and conspiracy to murder. This is absurd, and cannot possibly be true, or proved in court. The charge is pure showbiz, making a show of severity, while making no attempt to discover or address the underlying cause. At the most the contracting firm could be charged with negligence, but the real source of trouble is the procurement process, which is guaranteed at its best to deliver mediocre projects, and at its worst to deliver failures like this one. The flooding that happened in Chennai might be attributed to heavy rain and the sudden opening of a dam?s floodgates. But what is inexplicable is the time it took for the water to recede. This can only be because the city?s drainage systems have been compromised, and that can only happen if those in charge of systems do not have the ordinary competence that good civil engineering demands. All one can blame is the decline of the profession, the ultimate root cause of which is the framework for procurement as determined, above all, by government?s audit arms. These are so bent on preventing corruption (which they are manifestly unable to do) through setting up procedures, that these very procedures, by ignoring quality and even overall project costs, by insisting that each element be awarded to the lowest bidder, are hurting the country?s infrastructure in ways these audit officers are incapable of comprehending, because they have never seen better. Equally culpable perhaps are the government officers who award work. They have a poor understanding of civil engineering matters anyway, because the education system in that branch has declined in step with the profession. Nor have they had the advantage, in their subsequent careers, of learning from high quality professionals, because the system of procurement has ensured they learn only from the poorest ones. But even if they know something is inadvisable, they prefer the route that will invite no audit objections. After all, their careers are unaffected by the quality or success of the projects they deliver; they get no special promotions on that account. What does threaten to hurt them though is the consequence of not following stipulated procedure, for which they will almost certainly be hauled up by audit. So their focus has to be on procedure, not outcome. Flyovers may fall, and cities flood, but as long as the specified procedures have been followed, no blame will attach to the officers in charge, nor to the very procedures that brought this about. *NOTES* 1 The coal secretary?s comment mentioned in the blurb was reported in *Times of India,* Mumbai, front page item on 6 April 2016. 2 Mott Connell (the Hong Kong office of the United Kingdom consultancy Mott MacDonald), Foster and Partners as architects and Ove Arup as specialist structural designers for the roof. *REFERENCES* Howlett, Bob (ed) (1996): *Hong Kong Airport at Chek Lap Kok*, Hong Kong: H Myers, Government Printer, http://www1.american.edu/TED/airport.htm. ToI (2016): ??5Cs? Also Hinder Decision-making: Coal Secy,? *Time**s of India*, Mumbai, front page, 6 April, See Note 1. - See more at: http://www.epw.in/journal/2016/19/perspectives/why-flyovers-will-fall.html#sthash.TLIrV04i.dpuf From yanivbin at gmail.com Tue May 17 03:33:45 2016 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Tue, 17 May 2016 00:03:45 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Maharashtra Govt orders probe into Nagpur Starbus service contract Message-ID: http://thehitavada.com/Encyc/2016/5/14/Govt-orders-probe-into-Starbus-service-contract.aspx Govt orders probe into Starbus service contract Source: The Hitavada Date: 14 May 2016 *Staff Reporter,* *Asks NMC to provide details regarding honorarium to be paid to retired Judge who will be appointed to conduct probe.* Urban Development Department (UDD) of Maharashtra Government has ordered probe into contract regarding city bus service signed with M/s Vansh Nimay Infraprojects Limited (VNIL) and the affairs of the company. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) had sought permission of the State Government to appoint retired Judge of High Court for conducting a probe into city bus service (popularly known as Starbus) contract with VNIL. In the general body meeting held last year, Mayor Pravin Datke had assured to get permission of the State Government for the same. Vikas Thakre, Leader of Opposition in NMC, had alleged that nothing had happened in the case. Recently, Thakre had met Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, requesting him to order a probe into Starbus service contract. Following this, UDD has issued orders for ?scrutiny and probe? into NMC agreement with Starbus service operator VNIL, and also for probe into functioning of VNIL. As per the communication signed by Shashikant Yoge, Desk Officer, Maharashtra Government, and addressed to Municipal Commissioner, Nagpur, NMC has been asked to provide details regarding honorarium and allowances etc to be paid, and facilities to be provided to the retired Judge of the High Court to be appointed to conduct probe. Municipal Commissioner has been asked to submit to the Government a clear report in this regard within two days. According to Vikas Thakre, he had met the Chief Minister in this regard recently, following which orders for probe have been issued. It may be mentioned here that Thakre, who is City President of Congress party, had alleged a ?scam? in Starbus operations and had made several requests to Prithviraj Chavan, the then Chief Minister during the regime of Congress-NCP Government. However, no enquiry was ordered by Congress-NCP Government. Raising the issue in several meetings of NMC, Vikas Thakre had demanded that NMC should register an FIR against all guilty officers. He had accused NMC of shielding guilty officers from legal action. Other corporators also had pointed out that Starbus operator had stopped plying buses on various routes without any information to NMC. The local body had issued 19 show cause notices and finally termination order to the Starbus service operator. However, as per the directions of NMC general body, the operator was asked to continue services till appointment of the second operator. Now, though NMC is preparing for appointment of the second operator, there are several issues like payment of passenger tax, and other charges for renewal of permit of buses, providing concessions to senior citizens and students etc. Transport Committee of NMC, in a meeting held last month, had decided that the tenders for appointment of second operator for city bus service, Green Bus, and Integrated Bus Transport Management (IBTM) operator would be opened in second fortnight of May. The technical bid, commercial bid and other processes for the tender for second operator for city bus service (Red Bus) had been completed, Narendra Borkar, Chairman of Transport Committee of NMC, had told the media. The second operator is expected to run 237 ?Red Bus? including buses received under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) and 150 new buses. However, as per the official information, only 170 of the old buses including those received under JnNURM are running on roads at present, 67 or so are parked for various reasons, and three fell to fire. From litman at vtpi.org Thu May 19 09:10:55 2016 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Litman) Date: Wed, 18 May 2016 17:10:55 -0700 Subject: [sustran] VTPI News - Spring 2016 Message-ID: <0db501d1b163$1279dcf0$376d96d0$@vtpi.org> ----------- VTPI NEWS ----------- Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" ------------------------------------- Spring 2016 Vol. 16, No. 1 ----------------------------------- The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation problems. The VTPI website (http://www.vtpi.org ) has many resources addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also provides consulting services. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEW REPORTS =================== "Selling Smart Growth: Communicating the Direct Benefits of More Accessible, Multi-Modal Locations to Households, Businesses and Governments" (http://www.vtpi.org/ssg.pdf ). Summarized in "Selling Smart Growth" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/86202 ). Households often make trade-offs between housing and transportation costs: they can choose a lower-priced home at the urban-fringe that has higher transport costs, or pay more for a home in a more accessible and multi-modal, "Smart Growth" neighborhood where transport costs are lower. Urban fringe homes generally offer more space per dollar, and so appear to be better investments, but there are other economic factors to consider. By shifting household spending from transport to real estate, Smart Growth tends to increase household wealth, and by providing more affordable transport options it increases economic resilience. It increases mobility options for non-drivers, which increases their economic opportunities and reduces drivers' chauffeuring burdens. Smart Growth reduces residents' traffic risks, and improves their fitness and health. Smart Growth also increases real estate industry profits, local economic development and property tax revenues. This report examines these factors and describes how to communicate them to consumers, real estate professionals and policy makers. * * * * * PUBLISHED & PRESENTED ELSEWHERE =================== " Todd Litman on the Costs of Congestion, the Drivers of Sprawl and Policies for Smarter Growth" (http://bit.ly/1ovjjli ) CityFix Interview. How can we tackle the challenge of traffic congestion? What is driving urban sprawl? How does public transportation relate to issues of equity? The CityFix sat down with Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, to discuss his thinking on these questions, and how cities can move beyond costly car-oriented development. "Towards A Sustainable Built Environment For British Columbia: Synthesis Of Findings" (http://bit.ly/1NMYQ6F ), by the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia, examines how provincial policies can better achieve sustainability objectives such as reducing air pollution emissions and improving public health. Well done Real Estate Foundation! "Economics of Highway Spending and Traffic Congestion" (http://bit.ly/1WBV57b ). Todd Litman's StrongTowns webinar, which discussed how common methods for evaluating traffic congestion can lead to economically-excessive roadway expansions and vehicle travel. It is part of StrongTown's 'No New Roads' campaign (http://www.strongtowns.org/nonewroads ). Webinar slides (http://bit.ly/1K0Bucr ) and bibliography (http://bit.ly/1QeV2GG ). "Higher Density Developments Reduce Transportation Costs, Traffic Congestion, Says Study" (http://bit.ly/1WjgMt8 ). This Palmetto Business Daily Report article concerning the costs of sprawl and benefits of compact development quotes Todd Litman. "We Are Transport! We Have Solutions!" (http://thecityfix.com/blog/we-are-transport-we-have-solutions-todd-litman ). CityFix blog describes 'win-win' solutions to multiple transportation problems. Recent Planetizen Blogs (http://www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ): "Selling Smart Growth" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/86202 ) "Evaluating Affordable Housing Development Strategies" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/85106 ) "Smart Growth Policies for Urban Affordability and Fertility" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/83847 ) "Does Wendell Cox Realize He Just Supported Smart Growth?" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/82596 ) Let's be friends. Todd Litman regularly posts on his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/todd.litman ). Befriend him now! * * * * * BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ======================= "Selling Transit Oriented Development," presented at the 'TOD and Real Estate Development Conference' (http://www.tod.org/events/la2016.html ). "TransportationCamp - What Excites You" (http://bit.ly/27tBY3c ). This short video shot during the 2016 Washington DC TransportationCamp (http://transportationcamp.org ) asks innovators to describe projects that will make the future of transportation better. "OECD Roundtable on Income Inequality, Social Inclusion and Mobility" (http://bit.ly/1ZZsVkV ). This Roundtable investigated the distributive impacts of transport decisions and ways that transportation and land use development policies can help achieve social equity (i.e., social inclusion or fairness) goals. Presentations and summary report are posted on the website. * * * * * USEFUL RESOURCES ================= "Direct Transfer Daily" (www.thedirecttransfer.com ) is an urban transportation news list that summarizes key articles and reports, including 'Quote of the Day' and 'Most Read' items. Subscriptions cost $10/month. Use the subscription code "TD34636T" for a 20% discount for the first three months. Great new tools for measuring urban accessibility: "Urban Accessibility Explorer" (http://urbanaccessibility.com ) is the most comprehensive tool for evaluating multi-modal accessibility. "This Map Wants To Change How You Think About Your Commute; With The Help Of 4.2 Trillion Points Of Data" (http://bit.ly/1TmsZe0 ) "TOD Opportunities in Chicago" (http://growchicago.metroplanning.org ) quantifies how transit-oriented development can support regional social and economic development goals. "All-Transit Tool" (http://alltransit.cnt.org ) uses General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data to measure transit accessibility and connectivity in U.S. cities. "Revision" (http://bit.ly/1TGLpSM ) integrates various data sets to facilitate sustainable communities planning. "Sugar Access Program" (http://bit.ly/1XkKMDL ) allows accessibility analysis to be performed in any city. Great planning resources: "Global Designing Cities Initiative" (http://globaldesigningcities.org ) and the "National Association of City Transportation Officials" (http://nacto.org ) provide practical guidance for improving urban transport planning and roadway design. "Parking Basics: Paving the Way for Better Cities!" (http://bit.ly/1Xy3RCW ). This Institute for Transportation and Development Policy report describes why and how to more efficiently manage urban parking in order to achieve economic, social and environmental goals. More efficient management not only reduces parking congestion problems and facility costs, it also helps reduce traffic congestion, accidents, pollution emissions and sprawl-related costs. Also see our "Parking Management" (http://www.vtpi.org/park_man.pdf ) report. " Parking Infrastructure: A Constraint on or Opportunity for Urban Redevelopment? A Study of Los Angeles County Parking Supply and Growth" (http://bit.ly/1XkDUGo ). This study estimates that Los Angeles County has approximately 18.6 million designated parking spaces, about 3.3 spaces per automobile, including 1.0 residential, 1.7 nonresidential, and 0.6 on-street spaces. In total, 14% of Los Angeles County's incorporated land is devoted to parking, more than road rights-of-way. The urban core has the greatest density of parking spaces, but suburban areas have greater parking supply growth. This abundant parking supply increases vehicle ownership and use, and so contradicts other planning goals. Also see "Parking Costs" (http://www.vtpi.org/tca/tca0504.pdf ). "GreenTRIP Connect" (http://connect.greentrip.org ) helps users calculate how more accessible locations, affordable homes and traffic reduction strategies can reduce driving and greenhouse gas emissions, and how much money and space can be saved from right-sized parking. "Rank Eight Congestion Reduction Policies" (http://bit.ly/1PXW7Yp ). This document evaluates potential congestion reduction strategies. It estimates that a combination of cost effective strategies could achieve a 25% reduction in regional vehicle travel and help achieve other economic, social and environmental goals. Summarized in this CityLabs blog: http://bit.ly/1TTG3Ua . Also see "Smart Congestion Relief" (http://www.vtpi.org/cong_relief.pdf ). "Increasing Highway Capacity Unlikely to Relieve Traffic Congestion" (http://bit.ly/1QlDn4z ). This fact sheet explains why urban roadway expansion is unlikely to reduce congestion. It cites our report, 'Generated Traffic and Induced Travel' (http://bit.ly/1WXC258 ). "Perspectives on Helping Low-Income Californians Afford Housing" (http://bit.ly/1Xl0b6V ). Also see, 'Urban Mythbusting' (http://bit.ly/1sp1yWA ). This study investigates factors that affect housing affordability. It finds that increasing market-rate housing development reduces housing costs for low-income households and can help reduce displacement. "Legalizing Inexpensive Housing" (www.sightline.org/series/legalizing-inexpensive-housing ). This Sightline Institute series describes various policy reforms to allow more affordable housing development. "Income, Location Efficiency, and VMT: Affordable Housing as a Climate Strategy" (http://bit.ly/1soFoDH ). This study uses detailed travel-survey and land-use data to evaluate how affordable-accessible housing can help achieve social equity and environmental goals. Also see our report, "Affordable-Accessible Housing In A Dynamic City" (http://www.vtpi.org/aff_acc_hou.pdf ). "Sustainable Urban Transport Financing from the Sidewalk to the Subway: Capital, Operations, and Maintenance Financing" (http://bit.ly/1VZdU4h ). This World Bank study identifies and evaluates 24 potential urban transportation funding options. Also see our "Local Funding Options for Public Transportation" (http://www.vtpi.org/tranfund.pdf ). "Calgary, Canada Applies Cost-Based Development Fees" (http://bit.ly/1qsntLi ). Calgary development fees now reflect the higher costs of providing public services (water, sewage, roads, etc.) to more dispersed locations (http://bit.ly/1rSGO9C ), reducing existing subsidies for sprawl. This is consistent with our research on the costs of sprawl and benefits of more compact development (http://www.vtpi.org/sg_save.pdf ). Well done Mayor Nenshi! "Shared-Use Mobility: Shared Mobility and the Transformation of Public Transit" (http://bit.ly/1pnTKD5 ). This American Public Transportation Association report examines the relationship of public transportation to shared modes, including bikesharing, carsharing, and ridesourcing services such as Uber and Lyft. It indicates that shared modes help households reduced their vehicle ownership and associated costs, and increase public transit use. "Go LA" (http://golaapp.com ) offers information on various urban travel options including ride-hailing companies like Lyft and Uber, buses, trains, taxis and bicycle commuting. A good example for other cities. "Urban Access Regulations in Europe" (http://urbanaccessregulations.eu ) provides information on policies and programs that restrict vehicle travel in various cities. "Next Stop Equity: Routes To Fairer Transit Access In The Greater Toronto And Hamilton Area" (http://bit.ly/24Yb29r ). This comprehensive (150 page) report evaluates the fairness of public transport service allocation and pricing, and recommends policies to achieve social equity objectives. It cites our transportation equity research (www.vtpi.org/equity.pdf ). "Does Walkability Matter? An Examination Of Walkability's Impact On Housing Values, Foreclosures And Crime" (http://bit.ly/1swuVXD ). This academic study found that, all else being equal, higher WalkScore ratings are associated with higher property values, lower housing foreclosure rates, and lower crime rates in Louisville, Kentucky neighborhoods. "The Value of Cycling: Rapid Evidence Review of the Economic Benefits of Cycling" (http://bit.ly/1sp18iN). This comprehensive report indicates that cycling provides diverse benefits and helps achieve various planning goals, but conventional analysis tends to undervalue many of these benefits, resulting in underinvestment in walking and cycling. Also see our report, "Evaluating Active Transport Benefits and Costs" (http://www.vtpi.org/nmt-tdm.pdf ). "Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2016 Benchmarking Report" (http://www.bikewalkalliance.org/resources/benchmarking ). This report provides great information about active transport trends and programs. It cites our research concerning lower crime rates in more walkable areas due to more "eyes on the street." "Future Demand" (https://vimeo.com/146071924 ) by the New Zealand Ministry of Transport. This short video describes the Ministry's Futures Thinking program, which examines factors that may affect future travel activity. Once again, NZMT demonstrates innovative thinking. "The Feds Want to Reform the Cult of "Level of Service" (http://bit.ly/1OyB1ea ). This column discusses changes in the way that transport system performance is evaluated to better support more efficient and multi-modal planning. "Statement by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) on the Future Direction of Trip Generation" (http://bit.ly/27xmWJO ). The ITE is starting a program to improve its trip generation data. Current practices often result in oversized roads and parking facilities, and discourage infill development (http://bit.ly/1DHcCiG ). "Accelerating Low-Carbon Development in the World's Cities" (http://bit.ly/1Fv5Dc8 ), by the New Climate Economy. This report describes how cities can implement low-carbon urban development strategies using the Compact of Mayors framework. "Tackling Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Climate Change: Levelling the Energy Playing Field" (http://bit.ly/1LYGt8G ). This Nordic Council of Ministers report describes policies to achieve emission reduction targets by reducing fossil fuel subsidies, investing in energy efficiency, and introducing carbon taxes. It estimates that these strategies can reduce emissions by 11% and provide significant financial savings. "Does Urban Sprawl Hold Down Upward Mobility?" (http://bit.ly/20mqHk8 ). This academic study uses new data sets to measure how land use factors affect economic mobility (the chance that a child born in a lower-income household becomes more economically successful as an adult). It finds that upward mobility is significantly higher in compact areas than sprawling areas due to better job accessibility and more mixed incomes. "Urban Sprawl as a Risk Factor In Motor Vehicle Crashes" (http://bit.ly/1THQTg8 ). This study finds that sprawl is associated with significantly higher fatal crash rates due to a combination of increased per capita vehicle travel and higher traffic speeds. Two of my favorite blogs are Shane Phillips' "Better Institutions" (http://www.betterinstitutions.com ) and Eric Fischer's "Experimental Geography" (https://experimental-geography.blogspot.ca ). Both provide thoughtful analysis of urban development policy impacts and options. "Isochronic World Maps 1914 and 2014" (http://bit.ly/1XkPK3m ). These two heat-maps show the travel times from London to world destinations (note different time scales). They illustrate the large increase in travel speeds during the last century. * * * * * Please let us know if you have comments or questions about any information in this newsletter, or if you would like to be removed from our email list. And please pass this newsletter on to others who may find it useful. Sincerely, Todd Litman (litman@vtpi.org) Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org) Office: 250-360-1560 | Mobile: 250-508-5150 1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA Efficiency - Equity - Clarity From yanivbin at gmail.com Mon May 23 17:31:52 2016 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Mon, 23 May 2016 14:01:52 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Richmond circle FLYOVER GETS CULT STATUS FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS Message-ID: http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/others/Flyover-gets-cult-status-for-all-the-wrong-reasons/articleshow/52391634.cms FLYOVER GETS CULT STATUS FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS By Prakruti PK, Bangalore Mirror Bureau | May 23, 2016, 04.00 AM IST [image: Flyover gets cult status for all the wrong reasons] A man takes an illegal U-turn on Richmond Road flyover on Sunday. This is a daily affair here, and is now a key plot point in a new Kannada movie called ?U-turn? *Six-foot wide break in the median on flyover has led to a lot of accidents* Countless notifications sent and received, numerous complaints made to the civic authorities, several failed attempts to fix the damage, paintings by a famous artist, and now ? the latest feather in its cap ? an entire Kannada feature film revolving around it; seems like the perilous and illegal U-turn on Richmond Road flyover in the heart of the city has truly evolved into a landmark of sorts for Bengaluru. But the question is, what else will it take for people to stop breaking the median and for officials to permanently fix it? Being one of the earliest flyovers built in the city, it was constantly at the receiving end of brickbats over the years when officials initially inaugurated it as a one-way, then reversed the flow of traffic, and finally ended up making it a permanent two-way. That it is riddled with potholes is stating the obvious, but most of the negative attention Richmond Road flyover has received of late is due to a gaping six-foot wide break in the median and the haphazardly strewn concrete blocks around it, courtesy errant motorists with a sheer disregard for traffic rules. This allows autos, goods vehicles, and even small cars to make unlawful U-turns in order to switch lanes in the middle of the flyover. For head constable Nanjundaiah attached to the Ulsoorgate traffic police, setting the stones in order twice a day has been incorporated into his routine. "It will soon be a year since I submitted a report about the median to my seniors that was passed on to the BBMP officials. We strongly suggested it be made permanent and unbreakable, but it has fallen on deaf ears. I spend an hour or more each day realigning the blocks around 8.30am, and then again around 4:30pm, just before peak hour sets in. Many a time, heavy vehicles such as buses and goods autos have broken down and gotten stuck after accidentally running over the blocks, causing horrendous pile-ups," says Nanjundaiah. Accidents, though minor and non-fatal, are not uncommon either. When darkness shrouds the top of the flyover, the break in the median becomes more dangerous than ever. And that is exactly what Pawan Kumar, director of U-turn, sought to highlight in his mystery/horror flick which hit theatres on Friday. "I wanted people to understand that even seemingly simple issues can have dire consequences. Knowing that it would not reach as many people in the form of a documentary or regular video, I deliberately wrote a script with a supernatural element to engage the audience and make them understand that even such everyday occurrences should not be ignored. Someone told me that a highly-educated man felt very guilty after watching the film because he too had apparently moved the blocks and taken the U-turn a few times. We must wake up and become more sensitised about such issues in our city," Kumar tells Mirror. But what does all this spell for the flyover? Will motorists' woes finally be fixed? BBMP chief engineer of the major roads and infrastructure department, KT Nagaraj, says the contract to resurface and install a cast-in-situ (or permanent) median on the flyover will be finalised within a few days. "No matter how many times we realign the median, two-wheeler riders invariably manage to break it. Another issue is the width of the lane from Richmond Road going towards Lalbagh Road; casting a permanent median requires a fair amount of space, which would further lessen the carriageway of this lane. We will have to cast a thin, permanent median for this, and it will be completed soon," Nagaraj adds. From rishiagg at gmail.com Mon May 30 19:17:40 2016 From: rishiagg at gmail.com (Rishi Aggarwal) Date: Mon, 30 May 2016 15:47:40 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Airport pre-paid cabs and taxi aggregators Message-ID: Hi everyone, Some thoughts on what is being regulated at our airports. https://rishiaggarwaal.wordpress.com/2016/05/30/airport-pre-paid-cabs-and-the-taxi-aggregators/ Rishi