Geo 4 - Depth Study 2

Vision Zero Action Plan Overview

aims to prevent collisions, serious injury, and fatalities associated with cyclists and pedestrians

Aims to achieve this through combines education, enforcements, and engineering

Examples include expanding bike lanes, and implementing pedestrian priority areas

Vision Zero Action 2015 Plan Example

The 2015 plan designated priority intersections, corridors based on pedestrian killed or seriously injured

After 5 years the had addressed 90% of the priority areas, which led to a 36% drop in pedestrian deaths at these locations

Vision Zero Liveability - Evaluate

Overall Vision Zero has increased liveability through reduced cyclist and pedestrian fatalities, as well as by increasing mobility and quality of life for pedestrians and cyclists in NYC

Improves liveability to an extent however ongoing efforts and initiatives are needed to ensure outcomes continue to improve

Vision Zero Liveability - Factors

Gives New Yorkers, regardless of how they travel access to all boroughs safely and in a multitude of ways

The pedestrian priority areas provide safe routes and improves accessibility, which allows greater mobility regardless of age and experience commuting

Enhances quality of life through enhanced pedestrian and cyclist amenities, including the addition of green spaces

Improves overall health of NYC as it promotes activity which reduces likelihood of cardiovascular issues, and improves sleep and mental health

These positively influence every New Yorker, especially those who do not own a car

NYC DOT Carshare Overview

Aim is to spread cost effective shared mobility options citywide to benefit all New Yorkers

This program beings predictable pricing to user with reliable parking included in the fee

For every 1 carshare vehicle, 4 private vehicles are shed, which is important alongside the growth of ride share programs to keep traffic congestion and pollution to a minimum

NYC DOT Carshare Pilot Example

The pilot program designated 283 parking spaces in facilities and streets for the use of carshare organisations

This ride share pilot program includes ZipCar and Enterprise who gave on demand short term use of vehicles, with insurance and fuel included in the cost

NYC DOT Carshare Sustainability - Evaluate

Overall its somewhat sustainable by reducing costs, improving mobility access, cutting emissions, and freeing space for greener uses.

Its overall impact is limited by many residents still preferring private cars.

Its long-term success depends on increasing user uptake and addressing concerns around convenience and trust.

NYC DOT Carshare Sustainability - Social

Regardless of socio-economic status it provides inclusive transport means

Exposes other demographics to newer technology and educates them on newer ideas in society

NCY DOT Carshare Sustainability - Enviro

Reduces greenhouse gas emission and benefits NYC ecosystem services by limiting soil pollution through leaked fluid

Pilot program had a net reduction of 12,000 metric tonnes of GHG emissions per year

NCY DOT Carshare Sustainability - Econ

Cost effective in the short term due to less insurance, fuel, and parking costs for private cars

The programs include discounts for lower income earners and students making it more affordable, Zipcar = $90/year for 20miles/hr

Less congestion from cars on the road saves time, boosting productivity, benefiting the economy

People can also supplement their income and rent their vehicle to create passive income

Liveability Def

is the quality of space and the built environment

is linked to a range of factors such as the quality of life, health, sense of safety, air quality and mobility.

CBD

multi-cellular, financial district and midtown

characterised by agglomerations, intense land use competition, and easy access due to the converging of transport functions

this results in a densely packed CBD, with vertical zonation in high rise buildings, and high land values

IMZ

semi-intensive mixed land uses with dissimilar functions

land use competition and invasion/succession accounts for the constant changes in functions

Mixture occurs when some of the older functions are pushed out and replaced with new ones

SPZ

Scattered throughout NYC and align with key transport routes and serve many global cultural and recreational purposes

once established, inertia limits the movement or change in function due to their significance, investments, and planning protections.

RUF

Include areas such as Westcheser and Long Island

This area has no distinct boundaries due to the constant invasion and succession of urban land uses as they push out

ERZ

In Manhattan high density residential zones border central park along the waterfront has high rise apartments dominate

Renewal of this are has encouraged this growth and results in high land values

Lower density growth is seen in other boroughs where land use competition is not as fierce

IZ

16 main industrial zones, including Hunts Points, North Shore, and Brooklyn Navy Yard

Centrifugal forces have driven this zone away from the city’s core

Increased land competition has significantly impacted the size and location of industrial zones

Along the river land values are less and the extensive space required is easily accessible

NYC Demographic - Age

median age of 36.9 years, highlighting NYC ageing population due longer life expectancies and lower fertility rates

Accounted for by NYC’s high economic development and access to education/healthcare opportunities

64% of the population are between 18-64

Manhattan has highest 18-64 group (working age) highlighting work-oriented nature of those in theCBD

Outer borough have highest proportion of families and children, indicating more residential and family oriented lifestyles compared to Manhattan

Brooklyn having 22.7% of the under 18 population

Staten Island’s population is only 5.85 of the total yet have 17% of the over 65 population

NYC Demographic - Gender

Females are 52.3% of the population and males 47.7%

women significantly outnumber men in the the over 65 group, particularly in Staten Island the Bronx, higher female life expectancy

The gender ratio between the boroughs is similar, females on average being around 52% of the population across the board

NYC Demographic - Socio-economic

New York City's boroughs by median household income on average - Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx

Distinct income zones are apparent in New York with the inner zone - rich commute by foot or public transit. The second zone - the poor commute by public transit, and the tree change third zone - where the rich live and drive to commute

Manhattan has the highest per capita income in USA at over $100,000/capita

The wealth distribution is quite unequal with the wealthiest 20% earning 35-40x more than the poorest 20% (Manhattan)

NYC Demographic - Cultural

The white population accounts for 30.9%, Hispanic 28.3%, Black 20.2%, and Asian 15.6%, hasn’t dramatically changed over the 20^th century

Staten Island is 56.1% white, due to isolated area which is undesirable to immigrants

The Bronx however is dominated by Hispanics 54.8%, and Black 28.5% populations most likely due to ethnic clustering

Scope of Transport Challenge

57% of all New Yorkers see transport as a significant challenge

1.6 million people commute to NYC daily, with 39% using the subway, and 23% using private vehicles

The NY DOT, Metropolitan Transit Authority, and NYC Transit Authority are three government bodies who work collaboratively to manage the city’s extensive transport systems

Cause of Transport Challenge

Ageing Infrastructure

Constant use of transport means with limited servicing makes it difficult for efficient transport

Of the 30,500km of roads in NYC, 40% of these are deemed in poor conditions, increased by 16% from 2000

ageing infrastructure has meant that in 2021only 65% of weekday trains meet their destinations on time

Delivery Vehicles

the surge in online retail has increased the number of delivery vehicles throughout NYC

they often double park blocking main roads which causes congestion and increases gridlock

Influx of Visitors

millions of people visit NYC daily which places pressures on all existing transport infrastructure

NYC is the most visited city in the western hemisphere will 66.6 million visitors/year

This adds to the overwhelming stress placed on transport not designed for the large number of people

Impacts of Transport Challenge

Site of NYC

Atlantic coastal plain with generally flat, undulating land (0–80 m asl; Todt Hill 125 m)

Natural barriers include nearby Appalachian and Catskill Mountains

Sheltered deep-water harbour with multiple islands (Manhattan, Staten, Long Island)

Vegetation: chestnut, hickory, and oak

Soil: clay and glacial till

Geology: metamorphic schist

Major rivers: Hudson and East River (converging into Upper Bay); smaller rivers: Passaic, Hackensack, Raritan

Built on fault lines - quartz, feldspar, and mica

Situation of NYC

Located along the northeast of the United States

City is located 350km southwest of Boston

City is located 430km northeast of Washington DC

External Morphology

Multi-cellular

5 main boroughs make up the city’s urban border

21.6km in length and covers an area of 70km2