If we can’t connect our green mobility infrastructure into functional networks, we won’t drive mobility systems change. This applies to new infrastructure, but is even more critical in making best use of existing infrastructure.
Today’s post is brought about by a recent walk to “ventilate my brain”. Coming back from a circuit in Maksimir park, I headed south east after the fourth lake, crossing the Bliznec stream, towards the agricultural faculty. And then south towards Maksimirska cesta. What do we see along the way?
On the right hand (east) side of the stream we find a fairly high standard multi-use pathway. But it’s handicapped. Heading south it takes an awkward (for bikes) turn across a bridge as another stream flows into the Bliznec. The path was clearly meant to continue straight – there’s a short section of paving heading straight on to the confluence of the streams.
Ok, maybe something happened, a flood or something, and the path needed to be reworked. Or there was a small mistake. Not ideal, but complaining about it does seem silly. But why do I get the feeling that this is just a small symptom of a larger problem: disconnected implementation and planning.
There are two further points of problem: first is that the path crosses and then re-crosses the stream because it is interrupted by a few buildings. A few more 90 degree turns. Again not ideal, but property rights are important. But why not make the continuity of the path more obvious? I know it is a little used local road (i.e. parking) for the faculty, but signalling that the space is shared by all modes matters.
And second; the final stretch to Maksimirska cesta is duplicated. Essentially in its entirety alongside the faculty of forestry. Why? Disconnected implementation and planning.
Which is a management problem.
I know: “What’s this Finnish (insert interesting words here) complaining about? He should (interesting word) off back to Finland. They’re rich and can afford nice things.”
Not really – it’s a hell of a lot cheaper to implement infrastructure in Croatia. Or it used to be anyway. We do have integrated planning, but so does Zagreb. What we don’t usually have is duplication and orphan infrastructure. Because we can’t afford to!
And anyway. I live here now. I bored people with this back in Turku too. Live with it – I do it because I care and want to make things better and more sustainable.
I’m sure we’d build loads of stuff if the money existed to do it. And of course our infrastructure standards are different, and the existing built environment and historical layering of infrastructure do matter. However, let’s put it another way: Legacy creates opportunities too!
We need a bigger map.
This is a map of bike infrastructure in the City of Zagreb from the main square east towards Sesvete. See anything? Gaps! I’m using bike networks as an example, because it’s what I miss most.
Today’s problem point/opportunity is right there in the middle. On the existing network, cyclists coming from the north east need to head south along Suska Avenija, and then turn onto the route along Maksimirska cesta to reach svetice (and not further because gaps… sorry).
Using the existing multi use pathway that currently mainly serves… recreation, and even that poorly… we can cut the corner. There’s an existing reservation and… 
See that? People are already doing the obvious thing as you can see from the shortcuts through the grass. Clearly there is/was a plan to make a connection from the north-east to Maksimirska cesta here. Much of the ground work is in place to make a great piece of infrastructure that shortens journeys and also disentangles pedestrians and cyclists (that duplicated path? change the uses, and it works!)
But it’s not maintained. The paving is missing in places and the existing bridges don’t create safe flow for cyclists (not that we want road bikers – they’re way too aggressive). But with a few changes: some gravel, pavers, edges, and asphalt…
The other problem is at the Maksimirska cesta end. The geometry there isn’t sorted. That’s harder to fix, but not impossible.
I’ll expand on the management problem of disconnected implementation and planning later. There are layers to that that can be interesting to tease apart a bit… speculatively. I’m an outsider remember!