Examining the Social Outcomes from Urban Transport Infrastructure: Long-Term Consequences of Spatial Changes and Varied Interests at Multiple Levels

Juhyun Lee,Jos Arts,John Ward,Frank Vanclay

doi:10.3390/su12155907

Juhyun Lee, Jos Arts + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155907

Copy DOI

Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Jul 22, 2020
Citations: 18	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Groningen, University College London

Abstract

This paper investigates how social outcomes from urban transport projects typically play out by reflecting on multi-scale spatial changes induced by projects over time, and the extent to which such changes meet varied interests in project outcomes. We use a multi-methods case study approach using two exemplars, a metro project in London and Seoul, which established extensive public transport networks to support urban growth. Our study highlighted that urban transport network expansion does not always enhance life opportunities for all due to intermediate and cumulative impacts of spatial changes induced by projects. Immediate benefits such as enhanced accessibility were often undermined by long-term consequences of incremental spatial changes at local scales. This study also indicated that differential patterns of spatial changes around nodes between centre and periphery could be attributed to multiple negative impacts on people living in the most deprived areas. To enhance social outcomes, we suggest an integrated approach to urban transport and spatial development that focuses on scale and temporal dimensions of spatial transformation enacted by projects. In conclusion, achieving sustainable and equitable effects from urban transport infrastructure requires careful examination of broader societal consequences of long-term spatial changes and locational contexts, especially function and socio-economic conditions.

Highlights

Urban transport infrastructure development is often seen as a critical catalyst in the process of nation building and in urban and regional development, providing step changes in connectivity for the development of society and the economy [1,2]
We have provided a literature review above, in order to develop our framework, here we focus on how the social outcomes from urban transport infrastructure projects typically play out, given the long-term spatial changes and varied interests in projects
Our study showed that evaluating social outcomes from transport projects requires careful consideration of the consequences of multi-scale spatial changes over time, as well as of the varied interests in the project in the specific context of the city in question

Summary

Introduction

Urban transport infrastructure development is often seen as a critical catalyst in the process of nation building and in urban and regional development, providing step changes in connectivity for the development of society and the economy [1,2] Such development is emphasized as a means of promoting economic growth, both in the West and increasingly in Asia [3]. There has only been limited research on how the long-term spatial changes at macro and micro scales influence the social outcomes of urban infrastructure development over time and space [14,15]. The long-term social outcomes of urban infrastructure development are rarely assessed (ex-ante) or evaluated (ex post), especially in terms of how the respective interests are or will be affected by the multi-scale spatial changes generated by the projects. These lines all pass through the commercial centre in the north and the newly-created sub-centres (Yeouido and Youngdong) in the south (see Figure 4)

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion