The three-hour conference was well attended by high-level officials from many relevant decision-making authorities. Former Mayor of Cape Town and long-time cycling advocate Frank van der Velde said that for the first time in 20 years he had witnessed a gathering of all of the relevant individuals and authorities from the City, Transport and Planning….
Author: Nneka Njoku
Subway lines built over the last decade in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou cost an average of US$72 million to US$96 million per kilometer. Shanghai also recently opened its US$1.6 billion magnetic levitation train, which runs from a new international airport into the city. Despite the announcement, officials from Guangzhou told local press they intend to…
Recognizing that the legacy of communist planning and the transition to a capitalist economy have left a remarkably large amount of derelict land in many Central European towns, ITDP has worked to remove the barriers to recycling this land. Without intervention, this land will remain as “holes” in city centers, even as new development pushes…
During the meeting, President Wade said he is eager to demonstrate a successful replication of Bogotá‘s success in Africa by making Dakar an example in sustainable urban transport. President Wade is responsible for implementation of the Transports, Energy and Environment sectors for the New Partnership for African Development, a coalition of African Heads of State,…
In November, the city opened ten new kilometers of preferential bicycle lanes on two avenues leading downtown from the east and west. Open from 7am to 9pm, the lanes are marked off with white paint and signs are located on every block. Although motorized traffic is allowed in the lanes, preference is given to cyclists…
The tour saw many concrete successes, including plans to build Bus Rapid Transit and Cycleway systems, Accra’s first public bicycle ride and the public announcement of the cancellation of a major freeway project in Cape Town. But more importantly, attendees were converted to Enrique Peñalosa’s vision of sustainable and equitable planning. Peñalosa’s words were so…
In just a few years, innovative planning transformed Bogotá, Colombia into the world’s leading model for sustainable urban design. The once polluted and congested city, where many people were unable to reach vital destinations, now has one of the world’s most efficient and accessible transportation networks. The Seminar will allow international visitors—many from cities that…
After the successful caravan event, Enrique Peñalosa and ITDP representatives met with Accra Mayor Solomon Darko. During an eventful discussion, ideas erupted about how to improve quality of life and mobility for Accra residents. The following day, the Building a New City Conference opened with an introduction by Abass Awolu. Other distinguished guests included Deputy…
Travel was free on the Highway for the first months, despite the fact that tolls will be used to pay for the road’s construction. This was to ramp up the fully automated tolling system, but was also supposed to serve as a “marketing device.” The free opening was an unusual move, however, as international experience…