Dave Head
Well, many things are doable that don't look it at first sight. For example you see people riding bikes in the middle of Oslo's winter... Likewise biking is doable here in super hot Miami, particularly in the cooler morning and evening since it's then that most commuting occurs. What I'm talking about though is not the NEED, but the OPPORTUNITY to ride it.
As for public transportation I see it working big time in other large cities, so it's a matter of bringing some of that experience here, for example...
Curitiba: Model city?
One of the biggest threats to sustainability is that for many countries which are urbanising rapidly, for example India and China, a Westernised style of city may be followed - meaning a city dominated by cars and increasing 'edge' developments for housing and services.
The 'doughnut' model of an empty city centre and rapidly growing fringe has led to efforts to curb such developments by many authorities with the revitalisation of the city centre through prestigious retail and leisure redevelopments on brownfield sites. Examples are La Defense in Paris, West Quay in Southampton or Docklands in London.
Cities will not evolve into a sustainable form since there are so many different groups involved - speculators, individuals, pressure groups and so on. Planning and proactive management is critical to resolve differences in opinion and to safeguard minority social groups - but it needs strict political resolve!
Transportation policies Two-thirds of Curitibans used public transport by the 1990s - with 25 percent less congestion and noticeably cleaner air than cities of similar size. Sophisticated bus services dominate, acting like railways with 1.3 million people using the system daily. There is integration between the different forms of transport.
