Highway and Transport Engineering: A Critical Analysis of Green Mobility and Sustainable Urban Planning

Abstract

Green mobility includes sustainable public transport, walking, and cycling. It increases the efficiency and sustainability of transport systems in the world. It has been proven that if green mobility initiatives are strategically planned, designed, and managed, they can result in efficient movement of people from one place to another. The benefits of this concept are various. For instance, it is quicker, convenient, safer, comfortable, and economically feasible. Green mobility provides people with the opportunity to exercise and, as a result, makes them stay mentally and physically active. It also has positive effects on the environment. In this paper, it was established that fresh air is paramount to a healthy population. As such, breathing fresh air is more feasible in a green mobility environment as opposed a place full of private automobiles. Cities with green mobility enjoy improved health and well being of the citizens. For instance, they spend less on medical expenses and, more importantly, report increased life expectancy.

HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORT ENGINEERING: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF GREEN MOBILITY AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN PLANNING

IntroductionMost cities around the world are increasingly grappling with a number of challenges. The three main challenges include traffic congestion, expansion of urban population, and air pollution. Planning engineers have devised a number of solutions to deal with these problems. One of these strategies aimed at addressing the emerging problems in contemporary urban centers is green mobility (Louise 2015). Mohammad (2015) provides a working definition of the concept of green mobility. According to the author, the concept entails the adoption of sustainable transportation that makes it possible for people and communities to access and meet their basic needs. Consequently, the idea of green mobility has become a major concern for most urban planners. The case is especially so in developed countries (Mohammad 2015).

Many engineers agree that green mobility is the way to go with regards to the achievement of economic growth. The current paper is written against this backdrop. To this end, the author seeks to analyze how green mobility can be used to achieve sustainable urban planning. The analysis will be carried out within the context of highway and transport engineering. To achieve this objective, the author will analyse a number of case studies in the international arena with regards to how green mobility have been integrated into urban planning. The overall objective of the review is to assess how this concept can be used to increase the efficiency of transport infrastructure within modern cities. Based on the findings from the case studies, the author will provide recommendations on how to enhance the effectiveness and safety of green mobility with regards to sustainable urban planning.

Research Method

As already indicated, the current study will adopt a case study research method. The figure below is a thematic representation of the research design:

Figure 1

Research Framework

As indicated in the figure above, the case study will integrate both theoretical and analytical review of literature. The literature referred to in this case entails information touching on the selected case studies.

Review of Literature

Green Mobility as an Alternative Mode of Transport for Sustainable Urban Planning

Green Mobility: Overview

Green mobility is viewed as a sustainable mode of transport that makes it possible to safely access societal basic needs without jeopardizing the needs of future generations (Lucas 2012). According to Mohammad (2015), green mobility is affordable, efficient, and supports a vibrant economy. More fundamentally, it is characterized by the ability of governments to limit emissions and waste. Louise (2015) views green mobility in terms of greener cities. According to the author, it minimizes the consumption of nonrenewable resources. At the same time, it reduces the consumption of renewable resources to a sustainable yield level. It involves reusing and recycling components of renewable resources that minimize the use of land and noise pollution. To this end, the term sustainable development means well directed activities that safeguard the long-term livelihoods of the society. Green mobility provides solutions to existing transport problems. The problems include, among others, global warming, environmental damage, and noise pollution (Mohammad 2015). Transportation machines have over time emitted massive levels of greenhouse gas, impacting negatively on sustainable transportation.

Global Green Mobility Report

Findings across the globe reveal that the world is not on course in the realisation of sustainable mobility. According to the Global Mobilty Report (2017), the global performance in greener mobility is still at a dismal level. Reports in this area have evaluated the extent of greener mobility in terms of universal access, efficiency, safety, and environmental conservation. The report indicates that greener mobility is not only inaccessible among the worlds most vulnerable populations, but also makes use of high fossil fuel, leading to increased emission of greenhouse gas. As a result, there is an increase in air and noise pollution, leading to a rise in the number of road accidents.

The Green Mobility Initiative is a global undertaking supported by over 50 organisations in the transport sector. The objectives are quantifiable in four areas. The four areas include mitigation of climate change, adaptation to climate change, air pollution, as well as physical inactivity and air pollution. The four are the targets supposed to be achieved between 2030 and 2050. The set objectives, according to Global Mobility Report (Green Car Congress 2017), are in accordance with international agreements on green mobility initiatives.

Presently, the transport sector is said to contribute to 23% of the global green house emissions (Banister 2011). The sector is also said to be responsible for 18% man-made emissions. The emission has grown at an exponential rate of 2% between 1990 and 2012. Today, transport remains one of the fastest modes of carbon dioxide emission in the world. Emissions can be controlled by initiating green mobility programs. Banister et al. (2000) suggest the need to cut vehicle emissions by almost 70%. According to the author, this can be achieved by making technological improvements in vehicle emissions levels.

The Transport Report in 2012 reveals that over 125 million people are exposed to noise pollution. At least one in four Europeans are exposed to noise that exceeds the acceptable threshold spelt out under the EU Environmental Noise Directive (Dorelien et al. 2013). The exposure has resulted in about 10, 000 cases of premature deaths emanating from noise. The green mobility targets are, consequently, centred on the transformation of sustainable development. It encourages the transport sector to take the lead in net-zero- emission economy (Delbosc and Currie, 2011). The most feasible action includes net de-carbonization of the transportation industry. The transformation would also include introduction of green mobility. There are various modes of green mobility (Mercier et al. 2014), which are discussed elsewhere in this paper.

Modes of Green Transportation

There are various modes of green transportation. They include, among others, electric cars, pedestrian, bicycles, and other forms of sustainable public transportation (Mercier et al. 2014). Electric cars are touted as greener alternatives to combustion engine. Electric machines not only yield environmental benefits, but are also associated with quiet and efficient operations (Umberto et al. 2014). However, this mode of transport is marred by some challenges. The hurdles include, for instance, the need to set up the necessary infrastructure to charge electric vehicles. On their part, pedestrians provide another form of green mobility. People should consider walking to school, to the grocery store, and even to their places of work. In the long run, there will be zero emission of greenhouse gases.

Bicycles and other forms of public transportation are also important forms of green mobility. For instance, bicycles do not use any fuels and the user only incurs costs for buying the machine and for maintenance. Cities with the infrastructure to accommodate public transport systems make this an easy and accessible mode of transportation (Umberto et al. 2014).

The Benefits of Green Mobility

The benefits of green mobility are many. They include environmental, health, and economic benefits (City of Copenhagen 2013). With regards to the environment, green mobility leads to reduced pollution. It is noted that the emission of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels used in cars is the major source of greenhouse gases. As such, green mobility systems will reduce such emissions. According to the City of Copenhagen Strategy of 2013, green transportation is associated with improved health. Numerous activities associated with green mobility, for example, walking and bicycle riding, lead to a healthier lifestyle. In addition, green transportation leads to reduced pollution that will in turn avert adverse effects associated with this form of economic activity. Such effects include respiratory diseases. Green mobility leads to a more sustainable economic development, which is exhibited in the reduction of socio-economic inequalities and creation of more job opportunities (Umberto et al. 2014). It also helps governments to save money in terms of fuel consumption. Consequently, there is reduced expenditure on fuel annually.

Green Mobility and Sustainable Urban Planning in Highway and Transport Engineering: Review of Selected Case Studies

The Copenhagen Case Study

Copenhagen is regarded as the city of cyclists. The citys initial objective was to ensure that 50% of commuters going to work or to school use bicycles. By 2010, the figure stood at 35% and by 2015, the figure was at 67% (see Figure 2). Therefore, the strategy is on course to realize a target of carbon dioxide neutrality by 2025 (Mohammad 2015). The strategy was meant to achieve various benefits. They include improved public transport, effective traffic and parking, environmental conservation, and low emission zones. Since its inception in 2006, the cycling project has used over 67 million in the construction of cycle bridges over waterways and major roads across the city.

Copenhagen has improved its public transport system. The city has well established S-trains and high frequency A-bus networks (Mohammad 2015). Its urban planning embraced widespread bicycle culture. The city is able to accommodate many cyclists and is one of the coveted urban designs across the world. The shift from cars to bicycles has not only saved time, but also money. Mohammad (2015) compares this with the total costs incurred when there is air pollution, accidents, congestion, noise, and stress on the limited transport infrastructure. Mohammad (2015) establishes that the city is able to save 0.16 for every kilometer that is used by a cyclist inst...