The cycling as a driver of a renewed design and use of public space within the neighborhoods

Abstract

A great contribution both to the energy consumption and to the air pollution results from road transport and mainly from travels in urban areas. The great number of trips occurring into the urban areas is certainly due to the increase of people in the cities, which will increase in the future representing thus a large proportion of the world population. Therefore, it is most influential the reference of the urbanization model and related transport model. In fact, for different historical periods, the shape of cities was depending on transportation technologies. The massive use of the cars has induced the extension of the urban areas in all directions without a prevalent priority, it has encouraged the private motorized mobility with respect to the widespread accessibility and it has allowed the separation of urban functions. As a consequence a reduced quality of life, social segregation - especially for people with a low level of self-sufficiency, and a reduced sense of community of residents are occurring. This led to a progressive impoverishment of the neighbourhoods that instead represent places of interaction for the individual well-being, community cohesion and urban vitality. The study area is the 13th District (Ostia) of Rome – Italy, where it has been carried out a design laboratory in the frame of an European project”VillemiZero”. This area has been urbanized after 1960 and it is representative of low-density settlements separated by agricultural enclaves. Infact this District has a population density of 13.6 inhabitants per hectare, one of the lowest of Rome. The collective transport can not support these density so low that instead are supported by private motorized transport. A plan that encourages a higher urban density and mixed land use can have significant benefits in terms of provision of basic urban services that would allow a reduction in car use and as a consequent of GHG emissions and traffic congestion, increasing at the same time, the efficiency of the public transport and slow mobility. However, it is difficult to act on the density in urban areas already built. As a consequence we can act on the transportation modes used on the distance of proximity or short haul. According to these conception a reduction of use of the car and, consequently, of the traffic congestion and GHG emissions , can be achieved by increasing the component of slow mobility for travel within and among close neighbourhoods can be achieved through the increase of slow mobility for travels occurring within and among neighbourhoods. Finally, this paper aims to highlight the role of cycling as an important carrier for a renewed layout and use of public space inside of neighbourhoods.