Sustainable mobility for healthy cities

Abstract

Active transportation is being used as central design principle to support higher and more equitable levels of mobility and accessibility for all citizens in urban regeneration of public spaces in cities. Given the main functional characteristics of walking and cycling, the environmental and physical activity dimensions are very important and should serve not only as a reason for its promotion, but also as an active and decisive factor in its effective usage. Health issues related to active transportation can be used to promote its usage and raise awareness among citizens and politicians. Walking and cycling represent only a small part of the modal distribution of the transportation system of most European cities. To improve these numbers and promote healthier ways of travel in the cities, municipalities have defined specific political strategies in transportation and urban planning. The adoption of healthier individual behaviours along with good urban environmental conditions should result in healthier cities. For that, it is important to promote a more sustainable mobility through planning. The development of sustainable mobility plans should integrate the strategic vision of city authorities in order to promote cleaner and safer environment. A case study will be presented regarding the relevance of mobility on the achievement of a more sustainable and healthier city. For this purpose, a planning process to promote urban sustainable mobility focusing on actions that envisage an improvement of the environmental conditions of urban areas will be described, namely a monitoring environmental system for the city of Viana do Castelo.