- Development around Transit as a Tool for Improvement of Transport Systems and Transformation of Public Spaces in post-Soviet Cities   1455 kb by    Stepura, Mikhail | mstepura@tut.by    Short Outline The importance of the proposed system of Transport and Public Nodes based on the existing railway network in the post-Soviet cities is discussed. Based on the example of the large cities of Belarus. Abstract Large cities in Belarus face number of post-Soviet urban problems: rapid growth of car ownership, lack of fast public transport, mass housing construction, lack of new types of public spaces. New residential districts and public facilities are usually built on the empty peripheral areas, gradually moving away from the city center. Trend towards ever-growing private car usage over public transport has a negative impact on transport infrastructure and environmental situation in cities. At the same time, large areas near railroads, which are located in the middle zone of the city and have good transport capacity, are used ineffectively: remain filled with the old low-density residential, industrial or servicing territories or not used at all. In developed countries a lot of projects in the field of transit oriented development have been implemented. In large cities of Belarus there is both the need and potential for organizing a system of Transport and Public Nodes. These urban developments, which combine stations of urban-suburban rail transport and public services, will be important elements in the city structure. In later stages special attention should be given to the zones of influence of Transport and Public Nodes, it is important to increase density, to change and diversify the functional mix in these areas. System of Transport and Public Nodes will contribute to a more efficient use of railway infrastructure and adjacent territories, it will increase usability of public transport, will provide the possibility of associated services, will, in general, improve the quality of urban space and allow for the creation of a more compact and therefore sustainable city. Keywords Transport and Public Nodes, public transport, urban design, redevelopment Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2010: Sustainable City - Developing World   Click to open the full paper as pdf document   Click to send an email to the author(s) of this paper