multimodalmarian

[multimodalmarian]

TOKYO, JAPAN: These metro station maps address accessibility from the user-perspective. Barrier-free routes are clearly marked in red from the point where map viewers stand, through elevators or stair ramps, to the station exit. Yellow accessibility guides complement the map information with literally on-the-ground direction. These maps are just one example of many little details in Japanese design that focus on the customer.  

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LYON, FRANCE This easy to understand map at place de la Croix-Rousse removes barriers to would-be transit users. Shown from a bird’s eye view, bus shelters and route numbers are clearly displayed from the same vantage of a transit rider who find the map. 

Conventional maps in plan view show street layout by showing an area looking straight down at the street, with north pointed up. An new approach called “heads up” orient the top of the map in the direction a view is facing. Bird’s eye view maps take the idea of thinking-like-the-customer to the next level. 

This map is prominently placed at the exit from the metro shown as “M” on the right side of place de la Croix-Rousse.  

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LYON, FRANCE: Bluely is the Lyon answer to Paris’ AutoLib. The Bluely model of car sharing, similar to a blend of zipcar and bikeshare with station, is one among several in Lyon. (Others include Sunmoov and Citiz - to be shown in subsequent posts)

Members can reserve both the car and a parking spot (at the end of the trip) on the fly. Rental duration does not need to be known in advance. Memberships range from one week to one year with variable rates. Time-based rates start at 0.20€ per minute and 8.25€ per month within a 1-year  for membership to 0.30€ per minute and no cost for a weekly membership.

These 100% electric cars are equipped with card swipe activation, GPS and onboard computers for in-car reservation management and connection to 24/7 emergency assistance. New single file (one adult and small child) vehicles were recently introduced and attract curious new members.

See more at www.bluely.eu/en/

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LYON, FRANCE: Forget the company car, think the company bike. Three examples of a new model for service delivery.

France Post has a entire fleet of yellow mail delivery bikes for their couriers. These electric-assist bikes are equipped with baggage both front and back, including special front kick stands to hold up all that mail. 

Velo’v, the public bike share in Lyon is operated and maintained by French transport operations company, JCDecaux. Here you see bike mechanics riding across the city from station to station totting their gear in a bike trailer. 

SINGAPORE Veolia, a French competitor (I believe) to JCDecaux, runs a similar service for trash collection and street cleaning along the many pedestrians thoroughfares in downtown Singapore

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LYON, FRANCE: Taking the idea of greenways to the next level. Top three rows of photos demonstrate Lyon’s take on a sustainable transportation corridor. In a 2-km stretch from the central train station to the America quarter, it includes separated and protected areas for pedestrians, cyclists and the landscaped tramway. There is a short section with a single motor vehicle lane to accommodate connecting bus routes. Bottom row shows the main boulevard through the America Quarter. 

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OSAKA, JAPAN: Throwback to the Japanese salaryman and all other morning commuters. These photos were take about 1 block away from Tengachaya station. It shows just how normal it is to walk and bike to the train station among office workers, kids going to school, men and women of all ages. Not a car in sight... walk or bike + train is surely the faster way to get anywhere.

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PARIS, FRANCE - All the info you need at a Paris bus stop. 

New to transit customers can often be intimidated to ride a bus. Conventional bus stations  in North America often consist of just a pole or bus shelter with a logo, maybe a bus route number and if lucky, information about route frequency.  

For the ‘walk-in’ customer, this is not enough. Traditional bus stops don’t answer the questions: 1) Does it go where I need to get to? 2) How much, how do I buy a ticket? and 3) When is the next bus?

Many second generation stations now include next bus information, but that only addresses one barrier. This Paris bus stop is a great example of a design better catered to the customer.

It includes info about fares (and how to pay), the bus route, including accessible stops, the local vicinity, and other options (nearby train stations, bike share and car share stations). Riders can even download info on routes, easy access for smartphones to download details.

Lastly, it is impressive to see a request for feedback to improve the information given, how it is communicated (on the map), and how easy it is to provide that feedback.  

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PARIS, FRANCE - A simple solution to communicate where a train is going. Advanced heavy transit networks often have routes with short-turns, alternate routes, and express or limited stops that arrive on the same platform. For some transit riders, this level of complexity can present a barrier. 

Here on the Paris commuter rail, RER Line A, is a simple solution. A list of all the stations and a light to highlight the stops included in the arriving train. Easy. Simple. Perfect. 

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LYON, FRANCE - Vélo’v is the bike share system in Lyon, France. Pronounced as ‘vel-love’ (a combination of ‘vélo’, the french work for bike, and ‘love’) and not ‘velo-vee’ as I have done during the first month.  

In a city of 500,000 people (within city proper), the number of subscribers is impressive: 60,000 in 2015 with 23,000 trips daily and a growing update each year (up 13% from 2013 to 2014). It is reportedly one of the most used bike share systems in France (according to Wikipedia).

Some strong points of the Vélo’v system:

-very reasonable fees for one-day, one-week and one-year subscriptions (respectively 1.8€, 5€ and 25€ each)

-easy to get membership cards. No need to wait for cards to mailed to you. You can pick up a tap card at key shops, including the local tourist office. 

-courteous users share an understanding to turn the seat backwards on broken or malfunctioning bikes. Used by men (59%), women (41%), students (33%) and professionals (34%) alike. 

-maps showing both the extensive system of stations together with bike routes. (On the downside, maps are not available at all stations. When stations are full or empty, the user interface only lists the name of nearby stations. This could be improved with a map as the Paris Vélib system)

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PARIS, FRANCE: Autolib a carshare system in Paris that runs on a fleet of electric cars. The feature that impressed me more about Autolib is the ready, self-serve ports to sign up. Many car sharing systems in North America typically require a registration step that happens a while beforehand and requires a abstract of driving history that the customer must produce themselves. To reduce this barrier, Autolib has installed subscription kiosks that make its services available not only to locals, but to tourists as well. One may sign up for as little as one day (at no upfront costs, just an hourly fee), to a week (10€ + hourly), a mois  (25€ plus hourly), and a year (120€ + hourly) . The benefit of long-term memberships is a lower hourly fee. Other impressive features are: a) ease of accessing vehicles after registration (no need to pre-book online, just arrive and swipe with your pass) b) reserved parking spaces with distinct pavement markings c) consistent branding with the bike share system Velib. In fact, all the features of Autolib are set up very similar to the Velib bike share, just tap and go. The branding and functionality go hand in hand.

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NANTES, FRANCE: An interesting example of compromise in design that encourages motorists, cyclists and bus drivers to cooperate . This bridge extends from a central bus-only lane, adjacent is one lane in each direction, plus separated bike lanes on each side. The bridge width limits the ability to maintain separate space throughout. Instead, darker pavement distinguishes the space reserved for buses to encourage motorists to remain in their separate lane. When cyclists are present, motorist have the option to pass on the left  by moving into the bus lane via a transition from separate (before the bridge) to at-grade (along the bridge). 

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LYON, RHONE-ALPES, FRANCE. Le Tunnel de la Croix-Rousse is a 1.7km tunnel underneath the hill Croix-Rousse. There are two channels: one is for both directions of motorised traffic, the other is reserved especially for buses, pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, the city took advantage of the tunnel walls are a canvas for illuminated art. These photos shown the approach and departure from each end with few from within. The “sidewalk” or pedestrian path, is not at all to the side, but instead takes priority and is raised in the middle of the tunnel. On one side, the path is barrier protected on one with a  one-way bus lane and the other side is a two-way bike path. 

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Marvelous. I have seen so many examples of bike parking around bike stations. This example takes that cake. I wish I had the chance to visit it myself. Thanks to Danny Choo and Culture Japan TV!

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OSAKA, JAPAN: Red cycle tracks of west Osaka in the wards of Konohana, Maishima, and Minato.  It was a gem for me to discover these wide and colourfully distinguished cycle tracks on a DIY cycling tour of the harbourfront areas in Osaka. Many “separated” bike facilities in urban Japan are often sidewalk level (and exactly adjacent to the sidewalk) with limited design features to distinguish the bikeway from sidewalk area (however the low contrast design is often part of the design to encourage cyclists to pay caution to pedestrians). In this sampler, there are different examples and variations of separators from curb, planters, permanent vegetation and/or railings. Given the historical context of sidewalk riding, cycle tracks are built widen enough to accommodate 2-way riding where space allows. The cycle track is generally raised to sidewalk-level at bus stops and at crosswalks (with a break in colour). At driveways, ramps traverse width of the planter boulevard and terminate before traversing the cycle track. Approaching intersections, cycle tracks either transition to fully on-street or to the sidewalk level within concrete corners. In the latter, on-pavement warnings alert cyclists to give way to pedestrians.

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NAGOYA, JAPAN: Use of mixed colour paint to distinguish traffic flow from bi-directional cycle track to transition on-road and off-road path. Here is an example of a two-way cycle track as it approaches a busy intersection without a separate phase or signal for cyclists. Red and blue are used to mark opposing directions at a transition located at the on-coming side street ; red is for cyclists approaching the signalized intersection, blue for cyclists departing from the intersection. “Blue” cyclists cross the intersection on the left side of motor vehicles (in Japan traffic keeps to the left). On-coming “red”  cyclists are guided to the sidewalk-level path to cross along the crosswalk. Sidewalk riding laws vary by local municipal jurisdiction in Japan. Generally, sidewalk riding is widely tolerated, if not legally permitted, though some cities ban sidewalk cycling along sidewalks of limited width.  

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OSAKA, JAPAN: Pedestrian and cycling overpasses at major arterial intersection, across mega auto route bridges, including separate access ramps. 

When riding the extensive transit networks in Japans urban cores, it can be hard to remember that not every where is pedestrian priority. There is also a solid, a growing, road network resembles the complete network concept (i.e. some routes have different priorities or contexts, pedestrians and cyclists are not always at the top of the pyramid). It is admirable that, although a route is clearly designed to primarily accommodate more motor vehicles (major truck routes and bridges), there are some novel approaches to accessibility for those on foot and by bike. Structures like in those in the examples shown here, are often considered too costly and not justifiable to build in the North American context. I applaud these designs and the effort to substantially address multi-mobility across these structures 

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OSAKA, JAPAN: Women-only cars are one of the approaches to address comfort and safety concerns for women stemming from crowded trains