TITLE:
Delivering Tram-Based Boulevards: Learning from Opportunities and Challenges in Three European City Case Studies
AUTHORS:
Jan Scheurer, Marie Verschuer, Peter Newman, Cheryl Desha
KEYWORDS:
Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transit Activated Corridors (TAC), Zero-Carbon Cities, Transit Diversity, Urban Corridor Intensification, Trams, Boulevards, European Case Studies
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Transportation Technologies,
Vol.13 No.2,
April
13,
2023
ABSTRACT: Increasing calls for zero-carbon cities invite transformative solutions
for people and places within our cities around the world. Key to the transformation
is cities and regions shifting in mobility away from fossil-fuel based
car-oriented solutions. The paper investigates a range of case studies where “tram-based
boulevards” have been planned or implemented to provide such opportunities. The case
studies share a common broader policy objective: to transform the car-oriented
or car-saturated areas to an intensified urban template based on a critical
presence of dedicated mid-tier transit infrastructure and active transport. “Trams”, or
mid-tier, mid-capacity transit when combined with Transit oriented development
(TOD) along whole corridors can provide transformative pathways towards
zero-carbon outcomes as well as multiple, strong urban benefits. However, many
successful or instructive examples of this practice from non-English speaking
countries, particularly in Europe, are underdocumented in the international
literature. The paper addresses this gap by investigating opportunities and
challenges evident in a range of European case studies. These are explored for
insight towards policy learning particularly in New World cities seeking to
transform into a zero-carbon and more transit-oriented template: How can
decision-makers avoid repeating the identified pitfalls, and instead focus on
emulating the successful approaches and outcomes? We
conclude the need for recognition of the inherent synergies between transport
and land use settings in any endeavour, and their translation into policy
priorities in both fields of planning. We also conclude the importance of
decision makers proactively identifying and critically appraising specific
opportunities for change, concerning funding, technology, public opinion,
stakeholder alliances or market dynamics, and capitalising on them at suitable
moments in time.