Integration and Public Mobility: The Role of Planning

Transport Planning beyond Infrastructural Change: An Empirical Analysis of Transport Planning Practices in the Rhine-Main Region in Germany

“…A broader vision of future mobility systems that considers the needs of public space, e.g., road space, in view of a more liveable, social, and sustainable city, can expand and specify the assessment for specific spatial tasks. It supports normative integration, which means being explicit about the values, communicating planning goals transparently, and acknowledging the political character of planning processes [48]. Creating a vision for sustainable transport and liveable cities is also elsewhere considered a key step towards more sustainable urban and transport planning [3].…”

“…In this regard, the expansion of sustainable transport networks follows a well-established logic of adaptation planning, i.e., adjusting infrastructures to an increasing transport demand [47]. Rather than designing profound change, transport planning in this orientation is "managing the status quo" [48]. However, the specific qualities (i.e., expressway connections for cyclists and mobility stations) indicate an evolution of the spatial-material arrangements and the targeted solutions.…”

“…The competencies described as important in addressing the transport transition go beyond conventional transport planning in Germany, which is criticised for not being integrated [57]. Integrated transport planning, according to Schwedes, is "normatively, politically, professional and spatially coordinated and involves the various actors from the various sectors in the planning process, on an equal footing" [48].…”

“…Second, transport planners in the Rhine-Main region stress the importance of translation skills, i.e., the ability to communicate technical content to non-professionals. Translation skills may support political integration, which stands for the involvement of various stakeholders in decision-making processes [48]. The need for the involvement of citizens in urban and transport planning is widely accepted [3,58].…”

“…Third, the willingness to cooperate and regional action-two competencies supporting the expansion of sustainable transport networks-reflect the requirement for professional integration. Professional integration stands for the recognition of transport needs as an important dimension of transport planning and the resulting integration of different transport-related disciplines (e.g., infrastructure construction, demand management) as well as the integration of neighbouring disciplines (e.g., urban planning, public health) [48]. Spatial integration recognises the fact that transport development stretches beyond municipal boundaries and across spatial scales (i.e., local, regional, national, and international) and requires the cooperation of respective stakeholders [48].…”