Presented by Lake Sagaris, Postdoctoral researcher Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, BRT - Centre of Excellence, on Wednesday April 8th.

1. The emerging science of planning for
cycle inclusion: Lessons for public
transport and BRT?
Webinar
7 April 2015
Dr. Lake Sagaris
Post-Doctoral Fellow and Adjunct Professor
Bus Rapid Transit Centre of Excellence
Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable
Facultad de Ingeniería - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
http://www.brt.cl/
http://cedeus.cl/

2. 1. Concepts and methods
from the social sciences
applied to transport
2. Cycleinclusion:
collaborative planning
processes for rapid
change
3. Lessons for BRT?
The “Sandwich” Tour,
Bicipaseos
patriomoniales, Feb
2015

3. 1. Concepts and methods from the
social sciences applied to transport

4. Today, what little citizen participation there is
in bus system development usually occurs at
the project level, and is often too little, too late
We don’t pay enough attention to participation
at the planning level: the process to define the
consensuses necessary to get the most out of
public transport

5. Projects Processes
Focus on projects and implementation Seeks the optimum, the “best” solution
Seeks a known result, within a given
timeframe
Results uncertain
Tries to control people Try to involve people
Inflexible, linear process Original concepts may change
Based on technical expertise
Circular (“iterative” process): ensures good
feedback and good knowledge base
Doesn’t produce greater learning, or
identify learning for the future
Flexible, participants learn/teach and build
new goals together
RISK: Obsolete by the time it’s
completed, doesn’t build support
completarse, no construye apoyo
cuidando
RISK: Endless conversation.

6. Single cause/single effect
Single problem/single solution
In/out approach
Planning focused on
identifying and responding
to trends, often reinforcing
them, even the negative or
harmful ones.

7. Faces multiple causes (and interactions)/
unforeseen results, eg. “butterfly” effect
Multiple problems/Solutions for as many as
possible
Demands cyclical approach that generates
less waste/turns everything into resources for
different processes along a chain…
Requires a new kind of planning…

8. Complexity and Positionality

9. 1994: A book that
“translates” new discoveries
from physics, meteorology
and biology for a general
audience.
Prigogine, Maturana &
Varela, Mandelbrot…

10. http://www.art-sciencefactory.com/complexity-map_feb09.html

11. Gundersen &
Holling
Bridge between
new discoveries in
ecology and the
social

12. Into the urban… growing interest and applications

13. Otto Scharmer

15. Perspective based in urban planning
…theory, discipline, and practice
Engineering
Architecture &
design

16. Engineering
Sociolog
y
Architecture
& design
In a very complex —and
constantly changing—
world

17. Engineering
Architecture & design
Planning
(urban)
Urban planning:
interdisciplinary, social

18. Applications in urban planning

19. Questioning positionality
• Desde afuera (tercera persona
tradicional)
• Desde adentro (primera
persona singular o plural)
• Posibilidades de investigar en
el laboratorio vivo de la
ciudad en diversos espacios y
escalas
• Con diversos actores
Outsiders'
perspective
Insider
perspecti
ve
Insider
perspective
Insider
perspective
Mid-person’s
perspective
perspective
Mid-person’s
perspective
Mid-person’s
perspective
perspective
Mid-person’s
perspective
Perspective
LAC
Perspective UE o
N. America
Perspective
India

20. Diverse methods
• PAR - Participatory action
research
• Etnography from diverse
perspectives: participant
observers, and observing
participants
• Using both qualitative and
quantitative methods to better
understand complexity
• With researchers in diverse
positionalities to mobilize
different types of knowledge

21. Integrate this perspective…
Engineering
Architecture & design
Planificación
(urbana)

22. …into other types of knowledge
Citizens’ experiential
Political knowledge
(how to move power)
Engineering
Sociology
Architecture
& designPlanific
ación
(urban
a)

23. Theory & practice of
collaborative planning
Citizens’ experiential
knowledge
Political knowledge
(how to move power)
Engineering
Sociology
Architecture
& design
Planning
(urban)

24. Complexity

25. Multiscalar
Interdisciplinary
Rather than seeking
universal laws, gives
priority to identifying
“rules” and testing
them in local
(specific) contexts.

26. The importance
of the “meso”

27. The individual
The individual in a group
The groups in the wider
community
The community in the
world
The world in the
community

28. A FLOCK OF BIRDS
Separation: steer to avoid crowding
local flockmates
alignment diagram
Alignment: steer towards the
average heading of local flockmates
Cohesion: steer to move toward
the average position of local
flockmates

29. Open system: as subsystems
merge unpredictable new entities
and conditions appear
Central metaphor: an ecology
composed of diverse (living and
non-living) actors
Nested interconnected scales:
the meso becomes very
important
Closed system:
relatively predictable
Central metaphor: the
machine that
collapses if it is not
properly maintained
Separate
scales/linear
connection: micro,
macro

30. Table 2.3 Framing as Machine versus Complex Living Systems
Machine/industrial perspective City system example Planning system example
Industry seeks “single point” and “closed loop”
(pp.33-35, Merry 1995) repetitive processes that
constantly produce the same result, but in living
systems, repetition occurs but never produces
exactly the same result.
To (re)produce a rational city, planners apply
zoning by-laws, transport modelling, etc. modelled
on closed loop approaches, sometimes placing
human and non-human living systems at risk.
In its attempts to act as a predictable and closed
system, the planning system excludes many of
those affected.
When machines break
down they cease to
function; living systems,
however, tend to
reorganize and generate
new ways to function
Politicians, media and
others threaten “collapse”
if highways are not built,
but in fact, when they are
closed or eliminated, the
city adapts and moves on.
Rather than “wrench-in-
the-works” citizen
participation opens up
debate and new
possibilities
Focus on rules, repetition and conformity, rather
than recognizing the presence and value of self-
generating and self-managing systems.
Police repression of young people who use parks
for juggling, street theatre and barter on weekends
-- they don’t recognize the value of a self-
managing system applied in public space.
Self-generating, autonomous citizens’ movements
and institutions may be seen as problematic rather
than ideal partners in managing the complex city
system.
Source: Own elaboration, based on Merry (1995), De Roo and Silva (2010), Portugali (2011) and Innes and Booher (2010).
Collapse???
Reorganizati
on

31. 2. Cycleinclusion: collaborative planning
for rapid change

32. Full integration of
cycle users into the planning,
organization and functioning
of the city and
complementary systems,
particularly education,
health, inclusion, and the
guarantee of social,
economic and cultural rights.

33. CONTEXT: Like watersheds, street
sheds communicate, connect, isolate
and separate the city. Enormous
power…

34. The fewer the cars on your street, the more people you will
meet, the more social relations, the more mental and
physical health…

35. Streets
% of urban territory
“Developed”
New York, 22%
London, 23%
Tokyo, 24%
Paris, 25%.
“Developing”
Shanghai, 7.5%
Bangkok, 11.4%
Delhi, 21%
Sao Paulo, 21%.
(Vasconcellos, 2001)
Green space
Optimum:
40 m2/capita
International minimum
(WHO):
9m2/cap.
Berlin: 60.0 m2/cap.
Curitiba: 51.0 m2/cap.
Cordoba: 9.6 m2/cap.
Madrid:7.0 m2/cap.
Santiago: 3.2 m2/cap.
Sao Paulo: 2.7 m2/cap.

36. Festivals and
street fairs, in
Buenos Aires,
Santiago and
Sao Paulo

37. Japanese fair and
Metro station, Sao
Paulo

38. Nury Gatica, founder of
Living city (Ciudad Viva),
third generation flower
vendor; streets fairs (Sao
Paolo).

39. Arte Reciclaje Servicios

40. Santiago, The
community proposes
improving Barrio
Bellavista’s main
street, Santiago 2003.
Inaugurated 2008.

41. Delhi,
March 2012

42. …the full integration of cycling
considerations into the city and planning
systems, through diverse measures
developed over the past 40 years by
cyclists and planners, particularly in The
Netherlands

43. Santiago: BEFORE (1980s -
2007)
“Get yourself
a car, Buddy”
pro-car advertising campaign that
marked more than a decade of
social thinking about cycling…

44. AFTER: CYCLE MASTER PLAN
PARTICIPATORY PROCESS =
PROGRESS
US$45 mn for cycling facilities
Master plan result of consensus-
building
Km of cycling facilities
quadrupled (2007-2012)
Cyclists on main routes up 20-
25% per year, 2007-2014.
3% modal share (2006) to 7%
(2012)
Women 1/3 cyclists
Presidential priority, beyond
elections

45. Ciudad Viva, I-CE, Metro
Santiago Regional Government
(GORE) & Ciclistas Unidos de
Chile (2007-2010)

46. “ECOLOGIES OF ACTORS”
(EVANS)
Aprovechar la
diversidad:
superar
divisiones,
construir
puentes
Dejar de disputar quién era “dueño”
del tema: todos tienen un rol, un
nicho.
Necesitamos
•muchas organizaciones y actores
•aliados entre técnicos y políticos
•otros grupos, especialmente
caminantes, y los diferentemente
capacitados
Bicicultura, CicloRecreovía, Ciclistas
Universidad Central, Club Burunú (Gran
Avenida), YMCA , Mujeres Arriba de la
Cleta
Ciudad Viva

47. Partnership with Dutch experts, Interface for Cycling
Expertise, and global network
Dutch and global expertise, thanks to Interface for Cycling
Expertise, and its network (India, Africa, Europa, L.

48. 1. Working group: Adaptation of Dutch CROW design
manual to our reality
2. Newsletter Ciudad Sustentable
3. Santiago Green Map, with cycle routes (not infrastructure,
real routes, used by real cyclists)
4. Technical commission of all government departments,
with citizen representation
5. Citizen-Regional Government roundtable, with
municipalities, civil society groups, and ministerial
representatives (sports, culture, public works, transport)
Small working groups and Citizen-
Government roundtable, co-chaired by
citizen rep and Santiago governor

49. 3. Lessons — for BRT?

50. Interactions that produce
systemic change

51. In the planning system

52. Citizens
with good
ideas
Technical
staff
Politicians
Change (laws,
regulations,
procedures,
policies, programs,
projects)
Technical
staff

54. Nacional
Regional
Local
Regional

57. variegated collection of organizations that constitute the state (Evans
2002)
Politica
l
Technical
Active
citizens
Private
interests
Active
citizens
Elite
Excluded

58. Politica
l
Technical
Private
interests
Active
citizens
Transparency
Democratization
Sustainability
Academic
knowledge
variegated collection of organizations that constitute the state (Evans
2002)

59. The importance of civil society
(organized citizens)

60. And the kind of “participation”
Susskind et al. 1983.
Conflicto Paternalismo Coproducción

61. Delivers information
Controls
Imposes
Power
¡Yes!
Citizens

62. Individual and collective
learning and development
Capacity for change
Builds autonomous active
citizens
Power
¡No!Citizens
Coordinadora No a la Costanera Norte,
movimientos de Aisén, Freirina,
movimiento estudiantil, otros.

63. Two faces of the same
coin
Exclusion-Inclusion
Discrimination-Power
behind the scenes
Power
¡No!
¡Sí!
Citizens

64. More fruitful:
C
Power
Deliberation
Diversity
Interdependence (Booher &
Innes 2002)
I understand
Builds strategic conviction
Systemic change
Credibility and continuity
Mesa Ciudadanía - Gobierno para el Plan
de Ciclo Rutas del Bicentenario (2007-
2010), con asesoría holandesa.

65. Clientship Citizenship
Competes against rivals Autonomous political agency
Expects favours Demands political rights
Negotiates without challenging the
authoritarian framework
Exercises civil rights
Interactions framed as personal ties Interactions framed by social rights
Assumes inequality and does not
attempt to change it
Requires equality and struggles to establish it
where it does not exist
Source: Own elaboration using definitions by Lucy Taylor (2004).

66. Diverse
Interdependent
With different profiles,
leaderships, strategies
and organizations, and
some common objectives
Live and let live, collaborate where we agree

67. Matrix. Mapping the Complexity of Pro-Cycling Actors
Single issue Multi-issue
Single tactic
(1-3)
Movimiento de Furiosos
Ciclistas, CicloRecreovía
Bicipaseos Patrimoniales (heritage
+ cycling); Mujeres arriba de la
Cleta (Escuela BiciMujer),
women+cycling
Multi-tactic
(+3 tactics)
Bicicultura (festival,
mapeo, cultura, lobby,
estudios)
Ciudad Viva (heritage, public and
active transport, democratization
of urban planning, recycling)

68. No country has achieved steady
progress toward cycleinclusion
without a diverse, complex,
robust ecology of citizen
organizations
st is our ecology of citizens for BRT and public t

69. In the city system…

70. Urban measures
• US$48 million fund for cycling
infrastructure
• Training in traffic calming and
other diverse measures
• Training in quality infrastructure,
standards
• Vision beyond cycle paths
Cycling economy
• More bikes for women, cargo,
packaging, etc.
• Better trained consultants for
design and planning
• Studies tendered for bikeshare
Behavioural change
• Training in civil
society and
participatory
methods
• Design, testing and
ongoing realization
of women’s cycling
school
• More diverse media
presence
• Links with culture,
gender, recyclers,
and other
groups/issues

71. Urban measures
• US$48 million fund for cycling
infrastructure
• Training in traffic calming and
other diverse measures
• Training in quality infrastructure,
standards
• Vision beyond cycle pathsCycling economy
• More bikes for women, cargo,
packaging, etc.
• Better trained consultants for
design and planning
• Studies tendered for bikeshare
Behavioural change
• Training in civil society and participatory
methods
• Design, testing and ongoing realization of
women’s cycling school
• More diverse media presence
• Links with culture, gender, recyclers, and
other groups/issues

72. Urban measures
Cycling economy
Behavioural change

73. Urban measures
Cycling economy
Behavioural change

74. Could these “levers for change” be
relevant for other transport forms?

75. An industry and a financial
product
A culture and a way of life
A globalization based on
cheap energy and unbridled
consumption (by a tiny
minority at the expense of the
majority)
A potent symbol inciting
competition beyond ethical
and moral limits,
The result of 50 years of
intense propaganda (like the
cigarette), i.e. there is nothing
“natural” or “inevitable” about
it.

76. A century of
car-centred planning
Economy deeply linked with banks, tourism,
manufacturing, etc.
Billions in advertising and associated
behavioural modification efforts
All work together
very effectively

77. Urban measures: some
segregated busways, few
complete grids (none?)
Economy (new jobs, direct and
indirect) ???
Customer “information”, few
efforts to excite, seduce,
attract, win hearts
BRT

79. We need to partner with cyclists
and other sustainable transport
modes
We need to build powerful
alliances favouring sustainable
transport
We need to build robust civil
society ecologies to achieve our
goals

80. We need to know more about social sustainability,
especially the politics of sustainability and social
justice, as they relate to cities and “transport-sheds”
We should complement models using simple
causality models with complex causality
approaches
We need to take civil society organization and
participatory theory and practice much more
seriously.

81. Laboratory for Social Change
A space for research in the community, with the
community, led by Transport Engineering (PUC) and
Living City, which brings together leaders and
partners working in the Living Laboratory of real
cities. With support from the Center for Sustainable Urban Development
(Cedeus) and the Across Latittudes and Cultures, Center for BRT Excellence
www.cambiarnos.cl
Gracias
Dr. Lake Sagaris
lsagaris@uc.cl