This document discusses transportation planning and focuses on creating positive user experiences. It notes that transportation planning involves negotiating space between different users. The goals of transportation include safety, network and resource efficiency, ease of use, and positive experiences. It emphasizes understanding users and creating networks and places that feel consistent, convenient, simple and allow for errors to improve the transportation experience.
8. Transportation Planning:
an ongoing negotiation of different
users trying to be in the same
space at the same time.
(but going in different directions)
Talk about “user experience” principals. How everyone has some level of experience as they are users. I am an amateur UX person – but I do occasionally browse the interwebs. Similar to transportation – everyone is a user and an expert to some degree.
First – spend a few moments to frame the box of a transportation planner – which falls roughly under city planning. So let’s take an example using this little corner of San Francisco (where we are now)
Within this small piece of the city – there are numerous factors that need to be considered like the following – and this is only touching on a number of the different variables. Image credits:Housing – san Francisco housing authorityUrban design – BMS design group
I focus on transportation – which is one piece of this overall puzzle. Image credits:Housing – san Francisco housing authorityUrban design – BMS design group
Transportation is a pretty simple concept - and something we all experience on a daily basis whether we want to or not. Unless you travel from point A to point B – using the public network that surrounds you.
Transportation “planning” adds the element – that we’re all in this together and have competing needs, priorities and means to get from one place to another.
Just using a very limited example from Los Angeles – this reflects the surveyed origins and destinations of where people want to go in a small area.
The framework for which we work withinInfrastructure: streets/roads/highways. Sidewalks, bike paths, ferry terminals, rails (streetcar and heavy rail) and the stationsModes of transportation that use that infrastructure: walk, bike, drive, transit (fixed guideway, bus, waterborne)Photo credit: Eric Fischer
Photo credit: Eric Fischer
Why is that important? Because we talk about being having the opportunity to create experiences and responsibility to best utilizing the public space – streets and these “rivers of movement” take up a quarter of the land.Source: San Francisco Planning Department
33,000 deaths from traffic accidents in the united states in 2010. (NHTSA)In San Francisco - (SFMTA)Non-fatal injury collisions totaled 3,111 in 2011. Injury collision totals are relatively unchanged since 2004.• Fatal collisions totaled 28 in 2011. Of these fatalities, 17 were pedestrians and 3 were riding a bicycle.
As we grow – transportation network stay roughly the same. We can’t tower over the city / can’t bury all of our problems either. What can we do to squeeze more out of the system.Source: SFCTA Champ Travel Demand Model
San Francisco is 49 Square Miles – 25% that 12.25 square miles of streets – not a lot. What’s the best way to use that space?
Users on the system – how do we make it easy to navigate, understand, and intuitive.“A sign equals a failure of design”Parking in San Francisco – a 3-part logic problem.
All those things considered – how do we make using the transportation network an enjoyable experience.
A key challenge in transportation is that we can’t make presumptions about our users. They’re not looking for “X” or we can’t assume they have certain skills. Might be blind, might be hard of hearing, etc. Similar to web – our work is driven by a strong technical background – striving to find the optimal solution. However, this may not be the “ideal” solution for the end user.
Transportation. Everyone is an expert. Everyone knows their commute.
Transportation. Everyone is an expert. Everyone knows their commute.
Steve Boland – SFCityscape.com
As transportation professionals – we make conscious decisions about our built environment. Vastly different experience depending on your point of view – it’s our responsibility to balance the needs of those users depending on what makes best sense given those goals. Roughly the length of a basketball court. Photo Credit: Dan Burden.