SACN Conference How does mobility support inclusivity and efficiency in the city? City of Johannesburg Case Study: Louis Botha Corridor    Brief overview of challenges facing the City and how the City’s Vision for “Corridors of Freedom” can change this Louis Botha Corridor Case Study: How the City is planning to improve walking and cycling, urban regeneration and densification of the Transport Corridor (TOD) Considerations of the role of mobility in respect of inclusivity and efficiency CITY WIDE City has a population of 4.4 million and it is growing (3.4% p.a.) but spread over a large area so population density is low compared to most cities  23% of economically active people are unemployed  67.4% of households live on less than R3200 per month with a large percentage of poor household’s income going towards transport  Joburg contributes 56% to national carbon emissions and Transport has the highest demand for energy (67%)  MAP OF JOBURG LOUIS BOTHA CORRIDOR    Up to 60% of people living in Alexandra Township are unemployed and 20% earn less than 1000 per month. There are high levels of traffic congestion going into adjacent Sandton –a do nothing scenario can lead to Sandton roads become parking lots Suburbs along Louis Botha have aging infrastructure and there is often poor urban management coupled with increasing numbers of people moving close to the CBDs of Joburg and Sandton ’ The Executive Mayor, Cllr Parks Tau has introduced ‘Corridors of Freedom’ where there can be:  Walking, cycling and public transport which is safe, reliable and affordable  Urban regeneration and densification along the corridor so that within a short walking distance there are schools, clinics, shops and homes  Opportunities for jobs and businesses To address our challenges we need to change course – we need to give our citizens a right to spatially integrated city, a safe City and an inclusive City 5 OUR PROMISE TO RESIDENTS In the Executive Mayor’s State of the Nation speech he said: “We have already pioneered the first Bus Rapid Transit system when we launched the Rea Vaya…Today we are taking transit oriented development another step forward, with the introduction of a project that will forever change the urban structure of Johannesburg and eradicate the legacy of Apartheid spatial planning.” He promised: “Over the decade we will introduce transport corridors connecting strategic nodes through an affordable and accessible mass public transit that includes both bus and passenger rail. Along these corridors we will locate mixed income housing, schools, offices, community facilities, cultural centres, parks, public squares, clinics and libraries.” The route from the inner city along Louis Botha Avenue to Alexandra and then along Katherine Ave to Sandton is to be developed as a “Corridor of Freedom” with Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit, significant opportunities for walking and cycling and urban regeneration in partnership with communities FROM: URBAN SPRAWL AND HOUSING FAR FROM JOBS TO: COMPACT CITY – LIVE, WORK, LEARN AND PLAY IN MIXED USE NODES FROM: A CAR ORIENTATED, CYCLE AND WALKING UNFRIENDLY CITY TO: A PUBLIC TRANSPORT, WALKING AND CYCLING ORIENTATED CITY • Strategic Integrated Transport Plan Framework (2013)identifies a high level public transport network for 2040 • Based on population growth, areas of employment growth and projected densities, key public transport corridors were identified. One such corridor was along Louis Botha Ave • The City is building the third phase of Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit as the backbone of this corridor – linking the Joburg CBD to Alexandra and Sandton Corridors of Freedom Louis Botha Empire-Perth Turffontein  To guide the development of this Corridor, a Strategic Area Framework was developed to:  Define the role of the corridor  Quantify development potential, spatially allocated  Implementation Strategy – ▪ Programme plan: projects, phasing, preliminary costs ▪ Institutional recommendations ▪ Mechanisms and incentives 1. 2. 3. Introduce Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit as backbone Enable walking and cycling Improve public environment and increase number of public amenities like clinics and libraries 4. Allow and enable increased densification 5. Provide social housing 6. Provide opportunities for economic development and job creation movement infrastructure service infrastructure social infrastructure public environment projects land acquisition housing projects Economic Development projects • Activity/Development Spine • Existing (and Future) Economic Nodes • Public Transit Stations • In and around social clusters Priority precincts MARLBORO WYNBERG BALFOUR ORANGE GROVE Target Density Households C1 100 6168 C2 120 4809 C3 150 1190 • Significant densification opportunities • Opportunity for a key public space as development catalyst • Well located cityowned land for diversifying housing opportunities & land acquisition potential Orange Grove Name Priority precincts – development intent AN ENABLING FRAMEWORK Priority precincts – interventions 1 Transit Spine & Station Precincts Orange Grove Triangle 3 Upgrade of Durham Road (Initial Section) 4 Upgrade of Ivy Road (Initial Section) 5a 5b 7 3 4 Reconfiguration of Paterson Park (north) – rationalise depots; social housing; training facilities Reconfiguration of Paterson Park (south)new library & swimming pool; park; upgraded rec centre and sports facilities Upgrade of Orange Grove Park 6 Upgrading of internal streets / local connectors 8 New Orchards clinic – multi storey clinic with offices 2 5a 5b 6 1 6 7 Orange Grove 2 Orange Grove Orange Grove Rea Vaya BRT, walking and cycling      In 1909, electric trams were operating along Louis Botha Avenue (and Grant Avenue in Norwood by 1911), which enabled the development of the denser mixed-use buildings that characterise these spines Rea Vaya BRT will provide a modern public transport service to support urban development While there has been historic underinvestment in public transport since the trams, government is now introducing catalytic and flagship projects like Gautrain, Prasa modernisation and Rea Vaya They are doing it because of the significant impact that high quality public transport can make to the liveability and quality of life of residents. After over five years of experience in the South West of the City, the City is now rolling out improved Rea Vaya BRT – drawing on the lessons of the past - in the North East. 24 • Provide fast, safe, reliable and affordable public transport • Enable public transport transformation • Contribute to spatial restructuring and transit orientated development • Contribute to broad based black economic transformation • Prevent climate change and reduce air pollution • Promote social inclusion 25  Bus rapid transit system - buses travel along dedicated lanes and stop at special stations in the middle of the road  Safe, fast and reliable  Affordable and passengers use a smart card to travel and only pay for the distance that they travel  Rea Vaya does not take away the jobs and businesses from the previous operators on the route – instead we negotiate with them to own and run the new bus services  Rea Vaya has been rolled out in Phases 26 PHASE 1A • • • • • • • • 25km of trunk route (dedicated) for 18 m articulated buses 3 complementary and 5 feeder routes using 13 m buses and covering 75.8 km 33 Rea Vaya stations currently service passengers Passenger numbers average of 42 000 per day 143 Euro 1V buses Over 6000 short term employment opportunities, 830 permanent employment 585 taxis taken off competing routes Carries 7.7% of Soweto’s public transport market PHASE 1B • • • • • • To be operational in October 18km of dedicated trunk route 2 complementary and 5 feeder routes 15 more stations Anticipate 65 000 daily passengers 134 Euro V buses Phase 1C: • To be introduced in 2016 • 16 km of dedicated trunk route • 3 complementary and 2 feeder routes • 10 more stations • Approximately 260 buses • Almost 200 000 more passengers Phase 1C routes and stations T = Trunk service on dedicated median lanes C = Complimentary service with some priority F = Feeder service in mixed traffic Sandton Gautrain Wynberg Atholl Alexandra Interchange Bramley Corlett Balfour • 3 interchanges • 13 new stations Doll’s House Louis Grafton/ Yeoville Bellevue / Kes Hillbrow Westgate Interchange  Key stations in the median on trunk routes, strategically located to promote TOD and integration with other modes  Modular station design and unique public art contributes to place making /branding/marketing and opportunities at these destinations   Stations were considered not just from a transport perspective (previously 500m apart and where technical considerations are favourable), but linked to spacial locations where economic opportunities can be expanded/intensification of existing activities  Investment in supporting public environment upgrades around stations : leading to attractiveness and supporting the creation of destinations around stations  Three interchanges for public transport integration and nodal development located at:  Sandton CBD: Already a node but if there is not planned modal integration and reduction of private car use, node will stop growing. Part of plan to make Sandton CBD public transport, walking and cycle friendly  Alexandra: Watt Street next to Pan Africa Taxi Rank in Alex Can contribute to nodal development linking Wynberg, Marlboro and Alexandra with social housing and light industry (see next slide)  Westgate in CBD: Adjacent taxi rank and PRASA station. Medium terms plans for development of large scale mixed use mode together with private developer. Features: • High quality unique look and feel • Bike storage • Significant walking integration with surrounding precinct • Trading facilities       Create an Iconic public space Provide an underground public transport interchange  Rea Vaya BRT Trunk busses;  Rea Vaya BRT Feeder Busses;  Rea Vaya BRT Stations  Walking and cycling facilities within proximity of the interchange – integrating with “Great Walk”  Provision of administration offices Easy access by walking/cycling Focus of pedestrian movement between Alexandra & Sandton Provide interchange from one Rea Vaya route to another or from mini bus taxi to Rea Vaya Landscaping of surrounding environment opportunities • Majority of residents in Alexandra walk to work and to access facilities, although pedestrian facilities/infrastructure is currently not adequate • Distance to work opportunities in Wynberg, Marlboro, Sandton is walkable or cycleable Thus NMT needs to be given a higher priority to improve affordability to poorest commuters N Sandton Wynberg Alexandra Bridge and Associated Structures Great Walk Alignment Great Walk Extension Watt Street Interchange 37  Grayston Interchange 38  Grayston Interchange 39  Grayston Interchange 40 Oxford, Modderfontein, London Road to Longmeadow, Corlett Drive, Old Johannesburg Road (tbc) will all be complementary and feeder routes  Features to be finalised but will include:  Queue jumping  Signal priority  In lane bus stops  Improved bus stops and shelters  Increased sidewalks  Reduced on street parking  Traffic calming measures where warranted   Park and Rides at strategic sites can support increased modal shift from private car use. This can in turn:  Reduce congestion (especially entering Sandton CBD)  Improve all vehicle travel times  Increase patronage and thus improve revenue and sustainability of Rea Vaya  Enable modes to be have less private parking and thus more opportunities for public space  Park and Rides can be:  Publically funded  Public private partnerships (land availability agreement)  Privately managed – e.g. by malls with excess day time capacity Affordable public transport enables poor to travel with the rich, enables poor to travel with less burden on household – improves accessibility and access to jobs and income generating opportunities  Quality public transport promotes social cohesion and nation building – rich and poor, different ‘social groups’ on the bus, cycling or walking together  Quality public transport corridors and associated public environment upgrades reduces the ‘divide’ and ‘difference’ between apartheid engineered spatial forms  Investment in public transport infrastructure creates jobs and income generating opportunities - building a more inclusive society (see next slide)  5 700 jobs will be created during the construction phase and for every one job created in construction, another two are created in the cement, iron, steel industry etc  There will be about 500 permanent jobs in bus operating company- some of these jobs will replace jobs in taxi industry  About 1000 jobs will be created at stations and interchanges for ambassadors, marshals, cashiers, cleaning and security  If the station nodes become hubs of development, more jobs can be created in the retail sector, housing construction sector and property sector etc.    Less congestion: Quality public transport + park and rides + behavioural change can lead to less congestion – this improves economic efficiency and productivity of City economy TOD development: Mixed use development along public transport corridors and nodes reduces costs of providing municipal services to households and City Affordable public transport enables poor to travel to access a range of urban opportunities within the broader urban network  Densification linked to public transport broadens the range of housing options including social housing and rental accommodation  Providing quality social amenities within walking distance from public transport ensures residents from different areas equal access to facilities and services  The City is very excited about the integrated roll out of the Louis Botha corridor  Its success in achieving its objectives rests on:   Sufficient, appropriate and well managed infrastructure     development Balancing infrastructure investment with maintenance, inclusive management models and attention to ‘soft issues’ Strong project management, attention to community participation and consultation Partnerships with private sector developers, residents and public transport stakeholders Behavioural change (public transport switch/more inclusive vs gated communities)