Xiamen construction forum explores green transportation

Steen Jastrup, partner of an architecture and design practice in Copenhagen, Denmark called Dissing+Weitling, delivers a speech at the Straits City Construction Forum held in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province from Dec 5 to 7. [Photo/xmnn.cn]

The Straits City Construction Forum was held in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province from Dec 5 to 7.

In recent years, as awareness of the environment has grown, low-carbon travelling has become a new trend and thus, governments of different cities have attached great importance to environmentally friendly public transportation.

However, these governments have also encountered different problems during the development of the transportation systems and this forum served as a platform where experts from home and abroad shared their research and experience in the field.

As part of these efforts, city residents have been encouraged to take greener forms of transportation by using bicycle lanes and pedestrian paths rather than automobiles.

P'u Ta-wei, independent director of the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, believed that developing a green transportation system is key to improving traffic jams and gas pollution.

The green transportation system should integrate with public transportation systems and hence, traffic planners should team up with urban landscape designers to create a more comfortable and pleasant dwelling environment, said P'u.

Cycling is quite popular among Copenhagen residents, 50 percent of whom select bicycle as their commuting tool, according to Steen Jastrup, partner of an architecture and design practice in Copenhagen, Denmark called Dissing+Weitling, which is notable for bridge design around the world.

Jastrup said that the city houses more than 500 kilometers of bicycle lanes and to connect the different lanes, bridges are necessary.

He added that bicycle bridges, as bicycle lanes, are not just used for traffic, but also part of the city view. It's important to combine these bridges with the surrounding environment.

Li Kai, deputy director of the 4th Urban Planning Institute of the Shanghai Urban Planning and Design Research Institute, shared his opinions on street design.

Li said that streets are different from roads. In addition to being part of urban infrastructure, streets also carry local residents' memories of the city.

In his eyes, city roads should also have the same function as streets to satisfy people's increasing yearning for a sense of belonging.