Professor Robert Severo: "Future Transportation Must Return Value to Pedestrians" [New Transportation Refugee Report] 18

Future of Seoul - The Future of Transportation
Interview with UC Berkeley Urban Planning Professor
Decades of Research on Transit Oriented Development
"Top-Tier Pedestrian Infrastructure and Public Transportation in Harmony"
Technology

Editor's NoteSeoul, ranked 16th in the world for transportation accessibility, also faces significant disparities in access to transportation convenience. While the rapid expansion of transportation networks has aimed for regional balance, it has resulted in overcrowding in some areas and blind spots in others. Over the course of 75 years of public transportation history, we have now entered an era of artificial intelligence (AI) transportation systems, yet the transportation poor have not disappeared. Gaps in transportation lead to imbalances in quality of life. Asia Economy has examined the realities of these disparities and explored possible solutions.

"We must aim for a 'pre-automobile city,' that is, an environment that is pedestrian-friendly."

Robert Severo, Professor of Urban Planning at UC Berkeley, stated this in a written interview with Asia Economy regarding the direction that future transportation should pursue. Professor Severo has researched Transit Oriented Development (TOD) for decades. The core of TOD is to enable sustainable cities through development centered on public transportation, rather than automobiles. This approach can reduce traffic congestion and allow for more efficient use of public spaces.

Professor Severo has redefined TOD as Pedestrian Oriented Development (POD). This is because it involves converting the vast spaces long occupied by cars?such as parking lots and roads?into environments for pedestrians. He explained, "TOD in many ways represents the pre-automobile city, where residential areas naturally developed as urban railways were constructed, before the onslaught of private cars," adding, "It means an excellent pedestrian environment where commercial areas, appropriately dense buildings, top-tier pedestrian infrastructure, and highly interconnected public transportation services coexist in harmony." For example, within a 5 to 10 minute walk, people can access various forms of public transportation such as subways and buses, and mixed-use facilities that attract pedestrians are developed in central areas like train stations.

Robert Severo, Professor of Urban Planning at UC Berkeley.

Future Transportation Technologies as 'Complements'

TOD can also create synergies with rapidly advancing transportation technologies. According to Professor Severo, newly emerging modes of transportation such as personal mobility devices (PM) like electric scooters and autonomous vehicles can benefit the future transportation system from a TOD perspective. He said, "These can serve as complements, rather than substitutes, for TOD," and added, "PMs can provide connections to rail hubs when accessing stations located more than 1 to 2 kilometers away."

Regarding recent issues such as shared scooters being ridden or parked on sidewalks, Professor Severo suggested strong regulations as a solution. He said, "Anything discarded on sidewalks?scooters, wrappers, cigarette butts?harms the natural and built environment," adding, "Aggressively enforced regulations, penalties, and fines would be helpful."

Autonomous driving services, if provided as a form of public transportation, can also help improve transportation accessibility in outlying areas. Singapore, for example, is piloting autonomous buses in regions such as Punggol and Tengah. Professor Severo noted, "If the quality and safety of private cars are enhanced, it could reduce public transportation ridership and thus decrease demand for TOD. However, if shared robotaxi services are encouraged as a form of public transportation, autonomous vehicles can complement rail services."

On the other hand, Professor Severo expressed a reserved stance on Urban Air Mobility (UAM). UAM refers to aerial transportation for people or cargo within urban skies and can be used as public transportation, such as "air taxis." The government has launched demonstration projects this year with the goal of commercializing UAM. Professor Severo argued, "It is questionable how flying cars and drones could enhance and contribute to high-quality urban life," and added, "The noise and unaesthetic characteristics of UAM run counter to urban design efforts aimed at improving the quality and comfort of city living."

Tesla Robotaxi. Reuters Yonhap News

Seoul's Railway Undergrounding and Climate Companion Card "Desirable"

Professor Severo gave a positive assessment of Seoul's recent public transportation policies. The city plans to underground 67.6 kilometers out of the 71.6 kilometers of above-ground railway sections that cross central Seoul, including the Gyeongwon and Gyeongbu lines, and to turn the reclaimed land into large green parks. Professor Severo commented, "If there is anywhere that could do this, it would be Seoul," and added, "It sounds like a railway version of the Cheonggyecheon project. The Cheonggyecheon restoration project led to achievements in the form of re-urbanization, reinvestment, and increased real estate values, and the government received indirect benefits such as increased tax revenues and new forms of development."

Regarding the Climate Companion Card, introduced last year, he called it "an excellent example of a progressive and future-oriented city." Professor Severo said, "Just as drivers do not pay extra fees when switching between different roads, public transportation users should not pay additional fares when transferring between subway, bus, and bike-sharing systems, as they are all connected in a hierarchical network," adding, "Therefore, the Climate Companion Card appears to be a wise public policy."

He also proposed countermeasures in the event that use of the Climate Companion Card becomes overheated. Professor Severo said, "If it becomes too popular, it could lead to overcrowding on buses and subways or a shortage of shared bikes, and eventually, car owners might give up on public transportation and drive more frequently," adding, "It would be advisable to monitor and adjust the price level, and consider differentiating prices by day of the week or time of day."

Regarding the issue of light rail lines struggling between 'chronic deficits' and 'transportation accessibility,' Professor Severo advised that it is important for policymakers to make decisions. Light rail lines opened in areas such as Seoul and Gyeonggi Province have been recording daily deficits due to failed demand forecasts. However, many regions are still demanding new light rail lines due to poor transportation accessibility. Professor Severo stated, "Policymakers need to decide whether access to light rail is a right or a privilege. The more it is considered a right, the more support should be provided for the costs of light rail services. If it is considered a privilege, passengers should bear more of the cost." He also added that in areas with insufficient transportation infrastructure, fare deduction policies could be used for low-income and transportation-dependent populations.

Finally, Professor Severo emphasized, "Seoul is a city with world-class pedestrian infrastructure and is a global metropolis for public transportation," adding, "Many countries have good examples of TOD, but it is important to adapt and apply the principles of TOD?such as diverse land use, green infrastructure, and excellent public spaces?to the environmental characteristics of each region."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.