Role of Transportation in the Physical Planning

Submitted by: CATHERINE JOHN 08/SPA/P/21

INTRODUCTION In today’s world with the ever increasing

traffic it is inherent that we immediately find an optimum solution for it so that we can move on from being a developing nation to a super power.

There is a great need to resolve our transportation issues at the earliest as connectivity is of grave importance. Finding a systematic and organized way around the current situation is only going to benefit us in the long run. Better connectivity reduces transportation costs immensely and saves time in traveling.

A sustainable transport system must meet the mobility and accessibility needs of people by providing safe and environmentally friendly modes of transportation.

Transportation is the indispensable link which aids us from not feeling imprisoned in one place.

Cities have come up around areas with good connectivity to places where facilities are available.

No new township or development cannot come up on its own with no connection to other settlements.

Means of reaching a destination must be defined before any development comes into being.

Even when we design a housing or any other development we first analyze the approach i.e. how to get there cause one cannot have a settlement in a remote area with no connection to the rest of the places.

For e.g. In history Egypt developed around

the Nile they used water for their livelihood and for their inland water ways.

The major means of transportation in islands like Andaman and Nicobar are water ways be it ferries or motor boats or tiny dungis.

In today’s world of fast developing settlements either a settlement comes up which is well connected or a site is developed and connectivity is developed around it to the surrounding settlements or facility centers.

Or sometimes an educational institute is established or so, so as to attract population and a settlement is developed there after.

Transportation planning is a field involved with the evaluation, assessment, design and sitting of transportation facilities (generally streets, highways, sidewalks/footways, bike lanes and public transport lines).

Transportation planning historically has followed the rational planning model of defining goals and objectives, identifying problems, generating alternatives, evaluating alternatives, and developing plans.

Other models for planning include rational actor, transit oriented development, incremental planning, organizational process, and political bargaining.

However, planners are increasingly expected to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, especially due to the rising importance of environmentalism. For example, the use of behavioral psychology to persuade drivers to abandon their automobiles and use public transport instead.

The role of the transport planner is shifting from technical analysis to promoting sustainability through integrated transport policies.

Urban, city, and town planning integrates land use planning and transport planning to improve the built and social environments of communities.

Regional planning deals with a still larger environment, at a less detailed level.

Urban planning can include urban renewal, by adapting urban planning methods to existing cities suffering from decay and lack of investment.

Transport within urbanized areas presents unique problems.

The density of an urban environment increases traffic, which can harm businesses and increase pollution unless properly managed.

Parking space for private vehicles requires the construction of large parking garages in high density areas. This space could often be more valuable for other development.

Good planning uses transit oriented development, which attempts to place higher densities of jobs or residents near high-volume transportation. For example, some cities permit commerce and multi-story apartment buildings only within one block of train stations and multilane boulevards, and accept single-family dwellings and parks farther away.

CONCLUSION Thus this implies that urban development is

impossible with transportation planning. We cannot have physical planning without keeping in mind the approach or connectivity.

Thank You