Apr 2 8 1080

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IN LOW-INCOME AREAS -- A Case Study of Appropriate Transportation Technology- by BYUNGHO OH B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technolog y (1976) M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technola gy (1976) Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology January, 1980 BYUNGHO OR 1980 Signature of Author .............. ,- -- De tnt of UrbanSt l:es and Planning- January 28, 1980 Certified by .- Thesis Supervisor Accepted by ........ .... -------------------------. -----------------. - Chairman, Departmental Committee on Theses MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY APR 2 8 1080 LIBRARIES Room 14-0551 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Ph: 617.253.2800 Email: [email protected] Document Services http://libraries.mit.edu/docs DISCLAIMER OF QUALITY Due to the condition of the original material, there are unavoidable flaws in this reproduction. We have made every effort possible to provide you with the best copy available. If you are dissatisfied with this product and find it unusable, please contact Document Services as soon as possible. Thank you. Some pages in the original document contain pictures, graphics, or text that is illegible. ABSTRACT URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IN LOW-INCOME AREASt& --A Case Study of Appropriate Transportation Technology-- by BYUNGHO OH Submitted to the Department of Urban Studies and Planning on January 29, 1980 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of.Doctor of Philosophy. There is tremendous worldwide need for adequate techniques to provide infrastructure, particularly transportation systems, in the rapidly growing urban areas. In both developed and developing countries, urban communities are growing much faster than urban services and the capability of institutions responsible for their support. Housing and infrastructure lag far behind need, resulting in an overall decline of environmental quality and waste of economic resources. In the area of housing, particularly in developing countries, individual households have filled the gap left by the fail- ure of urban institutions by building their own homes. In the area of infrastructure, however, it has generally been accepted' that individuals are un- able to provide for their own needs and it is assumed to be a public respon- sibility to provide these services. The questions addressed by this thesis are the following: What are the problems and needs of transportation for urban poor in terms of their settlements' locations and topography; and, what transportation mode or strategies are available and appropriate to the urban poor in relation to their spatial distribution in Seoul? The major tasks of this research are to identify the major factors causing urban transportation problems for low-income areas; to analyze government efforts to deal with these problems; and to suggest alternative forms of urban transportation systems to meet most effectively the needs of the poor in Seoul. Case studies of the squatter settlements' location in relation to transportation were conducted in 9 areas. The information obtained from this field work was supplemented by government documents. In addition to case study work at the community level, the thesis presents a detailed analysis of the portion of the transportation supply sector (transportation service, institutional environment, and manufacturing) that affects the implementation of a strategy for transportation for urban poor people and an appropriate transportation technology adaptation strategy. It was found in this research that the spatial pattern of squatter settlements in Seoul has four characteristics: 1) initial settlement began and reached earlier consolidation primarily in the inner city areas; 2) subsequent settlement diffused outward over time toward the periphery due to the saturation in the inner areas of the city; 3) governmnet policy - appears to have played a major role in the dispersion of the settlements; -ii- and 4) the mountainside areas constitute the most predominant form of the squatter settlement in Seoul. Partly as a result of these factors, the poor live in four concentric zones -- inner city flatland/streamside transitional slums, inner city mountainside older ring of squatter settlements, periphery mountainside relative- ly new settlements, and urban fringe flatland/streamside new and poorest settlements. Nevertheless, high land prices and already high levels of crowding in more established low-income settlements often induce low-income families, particularly new arrivals, to settle at the growing periphery. The research results also suggest that the following four major factors cause transportation problems for the poor: 1) the complexity of auto-orientedi transportation technology; 2) the problems of technical, economic, and institutional constraints apparent in the application of public transit to squatter areas; 3) the profit-oriented privately owned common carrier transportation systems; and 4) economic unaffordability and general lack of information on transportation system. The government has failed at a massive scale to provide adequate transportation services for the poor. Policies such as squatter relocation, subway construction and highway development have shown a systemat- ic bias against the nillions of residents of squatter areas. In terms of the overall spatial structure of squatter settlements in relation with transportation service, the following conditions appear to hold: 1) mountainside areas as a "consolidatior" class show higher rates of employment outside the community and greater proportions of motorized transportation utilized to reach work. On the other hand, flatland/streamside areas show much higher rates of employment within the community as well as non-motorized forms of transportation to reach work, either through walking to work or working at home; and 2) both areal catagories the gradient declines with distance from the city center. Apart from a general perception of informal sector activities of the urban poor, this thesis recommends a cycle-based non-motorized transportation mode. The use of such a system in combination with a community-based development of industry utilizing self-help strategies in production, maintenance, and operation of such system. Further, this activity could be used as initi- ation of organizing and coordinating schemes in the provision of employment opportunities in the community. The proposed mode of transportation is only one form of range of possible alternatives. If the present conditions in squatter settlements are to be improved, and if the residents are to be able to contribute positively to society, organizing themselves and choice of appropriate technology are essen- tial. Planning efforts should encourage the process of organizing and coordinating community action such as self-help rather than dictating their welfare. With this notion, the function of transportation technology could not only meet users' transportation needs in a more effective way, but also to help initiate a process of development by stimulating the innovative forces and mobilizing idle labor forces which exist in any community in developing countries. Thesis Supervisor: Ralph A. Gakenheimer Title: Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning and Civil Engineering ACKNOWLEDGEMENT By writing this dissertation I have incurred many debts. In particular, I would like to thank my academic advisor, Professor Ralph A. Gakenheimer, for heading my dissertation committee; for his guidance through a new field, and for his flexibility about my work commitments. I owe a great deal to his patience and understanding of my need for freedomi and independence during my graduate study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Without his support, I could not have arrived at this point. I am very grateful to my undergraduate advisor, Professor Leonard G. Buckle, for the privilege of enjoying our friendship since 1973. I would like to acknowledge his objective perspective about my dissertation and his unfailing enthusiasm about the topic. Without him and Professor Suzanne R. Thomas-Buckle's collective understanding and continuing sense of humor it would undoubtedly still be unwritten. Their encouragement and trust in me fueled my drive to overcome my trials and tribulations of developing academic entrepreneurship. Their belief that I could write this dissertation within my time limit was a critical factor in its completion. I am also greateful to Professor Michael D. Meyer for his support and useful guidance throughout the various stages of this dissertation. I have benefited from my discussions with him and am indebted for his commpnts and suggestions. My special thanks goes to him for serving on my committee and who was the only member around at Massachusetts Institute of Technology struggling with my stubbornness while two other members were on leave. His kindness, willingness and energetic responses helped zle to complete my dissertation on time. Beyond this circle of principal faculty members, I wish to express my gratitude to my friends. Acknowledging the assistance of my friends is difficult because so much is owed to so many that it seems impossible to know where they leave off and I begin. I would like to single out a few of the individuals who have been of particular assistance: Terry Lee, Charlie D. Yie, and Chong Y. Yoon. Since 1969, when I entered as a freshman, I have been fortinate to

Load more