The Paradox of intensification

Urban centres are linked to their surrounding regions by the relation of interdependence, where the rural and urban linkages are clearly observed. The influence of urban centres is majorly observed in the peri-urban and suburban regions, where the demand of development plays a key role in the concerns of built environment in relation to urban forms. In this phase of urban forms, the primary focus of discussion is the population densities with the dependency on transportation modes. with the increase in the population densities and the extensions of the dwelling units in the built-up areas, the usage of public transport and restraint of private transport are encouraged for the benefit of the urban environment.

This article addresses the debates of all these concerns, where they create a positive impact of the smart growth of the cities which ultimately provides with economic growth of the city and the negative impact is directly implicated to the global environment creating air pollution, traffic congestion and health problems. Here, Portland city is taken as an example to explain the bond of population densities to the transportation. The Portland city, which is publicised as “poster child for smart growth” has actually concentration in the central growth, where it densifies the housing units at the centre and encouraged the public transport for travel. The measure of vehicle miles travelled (VMT) is directly related to the concentration of activities on the urban roads which ultimately lead to traffic congestion.

The other side of the relation between intensification and transportation cannot be applicable in every city of the world. The density of the city plays a prominent role as to adopt the best possible approach, the question arises at the level where the dense city’s like Hong Kong cannot imagine the amount of use of cars as the American cities.

So what is the relation between uses of vehicles to the population?

Higher the population greater the scope of use of public transport to minimise the congestion and environmental degradation of the cities. It also decreases the distance to the other urban centres but increases the mixed land use structure putting behind the scope of household growth, where the various income level groups would prefer their own pattern of living creating isolation in the built environment.

When intensification is studied in a smaller area, various activities in the centres, congestion, parking problems are observed at a greater level. This status is best explained in the article through an example of Germany city which rose with the sudden population by 13.9% due to intensification. The urban growth was concentrated with negligence tot eh understanding of increase in opportunities leading to various levels of income levels of the people and their major criteria.

It has added the use of NMT ( cycle tracks, pedestrian walkways), speed reduction etc., so here, it is really important to understand the differences between the low and high-density zones and their priorities, rather looking at all the places on the same scale.Policy makers consider the intensification to be addressed by the physical restrictions imposed on tot eh residential parking spaces as a major step for the reduction of the dependency on the private vehicle.

The major criteria of planning policies are relating the land use, transportation and NMT to the structure of growth happening at various nodes of the cities should be concentrated with different approaches. Encompass all the possibilities of intersections and their influences on to one another in the context of intensification policies is a definite need.