The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) is a strategic planning tool that, over a medium-long time horizon (10 years), develops a system vision of urban mobility. It provides a participatory space.
Problems and purpose
The PUMS sets itself environmental, social and economic sustainability objectives through the definition of actions aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the mobility system and its integration with the urban and territorial structure and developments. According to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT), the objectives of the PUMS are divided into 4 areas with different macro-objectives each. P.e. in the area of efficiency of the mobility system there are & nbsp; objectives such as: improving Local Public Transport (TPL), modal rebalancing of mobility, reducing congestion, improving the quality of road and urban space, etc.
< p> Consistently with what is expressed in the ELTIS Guidelines (January 2014) and with the MIT Decree of 4/8/2017, the approach proposed by the Working Group (Municipal Council Resolution no. 282 of 11/7/2018) provides the combination of different structured discussion and public evaluation activities that will make it possible to:- identify the priorities among the thematic objectives of the SUMP connected to the main dimensions of urban sustainability;
- define a plan scenario that from the proposal of objectives, thanks also to the contribution of the actors, leads to the identification of a coherent design of interventions taking into account the complexity of the L'Aquila area and the needs of its citizens; pr incipal interventions planned in specific areas of the city.
History and background
After two terms the mayor Massimo Cialente at the head of a center-left junta does not reapply. In June 2017 in the first round, the center-left candidate Americo Di Benedetto obtained 47% with 18,200 votes and is the favorite. However, Pierluigi Biondi, candidate of the Fratelli d'Italia at the head of a broad center-right coalition, will win the ballot with 53% and 16,410 compared to 46.5% and 14,249 votes of the center-left candidate.
In the Biondi's mobility program had a chapter with numerous intentions. The first was to base the mobility plan on intermodal interchange and an intelligent parking plan. This was followed by proposals such as the construction of road-rail junctions, the activation of the light rail system and its improvement, on-call services for the elderly, etc ... & nbsp;
Citizen participation is recalled a couple of times on civic spaces and disused buildings and for the development of economic and social initiatives [1].
In September 2017, the Council takes the regional opportunity of the POR FESR Abruzzo 2014- 2020 - a European fund for regional development, the so-called structural funds - which was intended for measures falling under Axis VII "Sustainable urban development", the Municipal Council decides to undertake the path of the SUMP within a framework of coherence and integration of the various plans of sector and constitutes a specific interdepartmental project unit for the drafting of the PUMS, at the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure [2]. & nbsp;
Organizational, support and financing entities
Abruzzo Region at through the structural funds POR FESR 2014-2020 aimed at supporting actions also concerning sustainable urban mobility. & nbsp;
Municipality of L'Aquila is the owner of the plan process and requests structural funds through the Abruzzo Region. It has set up an interdepartmental project group specifically for the drafting of the PUMS (G.C. del. N. 432 of 25/9/17). From the documentation made available, funding figures are indicated but it is not clear how much exactly is assigned to the SUMP procedure and how much is still to the participatory process.
Interdepartmental project group SUMP is formed by an external scientific coordinator, Eng. Stefano Ciurnelli, of whom there are no contracts or salaries, and 8 municipal employees with specific skills acquired in the field of mobility and participation.
Selection and recruitment of participants
Campaign survey with questionnaire on MIT objectives . "The listening phase, which began in November 2018, took place through a series of meetings with citizens and actors and the compilation of the questionnaire on the MIT Objectives (site mentimeter.com) for all citizens who have not had the opportunity to participate in these meetings a questionnaire was prepared via Google form to which more than 650 citizens who live, study or work in L'Aquila responded between April and May 2019 "(Link 1 - participation).
Meetings with targeted categories . From 22/11/18 to 10/4/19, 7 meetings were organized, each with one of the following categories:
- researchers from the university and GSSI - Gran Sasso Science Institute, Viale Francesco Crispi 7, 24 participants;
- transport trade associations and trade unions - at the Municipal Police Headquarters, Via Edoardo Scarfoglio 1, 7 participants;
- environmental trade associations - at the meeting room of the Municipality of L'Aquila in Via Avezzano 11, 11 participants; & nbsp;
- ASL meeting and University of L'Aquila - at the Hypogeum hall of the Hemicycle, Villa Comunale, 18 participants;
- Meeting with Urban Center and Citizens in the Center - at Sala Rivera, Palazzo Fibbioni, & nbsp; Via S. Bernardino 1; 28 participants;
- Meeting with Urban Center and Citizens in the west area - at the Social Center for the Elderly in Via Vittorio de Sica, Cese di Preturo, 21 participants;
- Meeting with Urban Center and Citizens east area - at Casa Onna, Via dei Martiri, 24 participants.
At each meeting an electronic questionnaire was administered which automatically processed the counts and then returned the results. The attendance at the meetings was such a number that a minimum group discussion could have been developed for each question but there are no reports of the interactions that took place. During these 7 meetings a total of 138 voters were registered by the Mentimeter system. In the online questionnaire via Google form, the system recorded a total of 659 voters. Overall, through the Mentimeter questionnaire and the Google form, 797 people expressed their opinion [3].
Dedicated website and WebGIS of the proposals . From the site it is possible, after registering, to send georeferenced proposals. The individual proposals can be voted with a score from 1 to 5 and commented, as well as being forwarded on social networks. The proposals received so far are 48, some have received some votes, few comments. A statistics of views, votes and comments are not available. The trial also has a Facebook page. & Nbsp;
Urban Center . Since February 2019, a collaboration has been activated with the Urban Center of L'Aquila which has supported the Municipality with the organizational activity of meetings with actors and citizens.
Methods and tools used
Survey with questionnaire . The questionnaire is a social research tool that can be composed and filled in with various methods. Generally it is a tool that returns quantitative and photographic insights into a phenomenon. In this case it was administered online and in face-to-face meetings with different categories of citizens. In addition to the behavioral habits of daily movements of the inhabitants of L'Aquila, the objectives of the Ministry (MIT) were modulated on a priority scale.
Participatory WebGIS . A common WebGIS (Web-based GIS) becomes relatively participatory when it is open to relationships and is transparent, thus allowing measurement of responses. In this case, on a cartographic basis (from Googlemaps), users / participants can affix iconic points relating to 8 thematic categories (eg accessibility for all; urban logistics; road safety; cycle system; public transport, etc.), insert their own images , explanations, problem descriptions, comments or proposals. The material should then be organized and interpreted by the project team. & Nbsp;
What happened: process, interaction and participation
The recognition of the priorities of the Thematic Areas and the related objectives of The Plan was carried out in accordance with the provisions contained in the Ministerial Guidelines (hereinafter LGM) for the PUMS (Ministerial Decree 4 August 2017 publ. OJ 233 of 5/10/2017) which establish the procedures for the preparation and approval of the PUMS ( see Article 2 paragraph a, and ANNEX 1. of the Decree) and identify the macro and specific objectives of the SUMPs (see Article 2 paragraph b, and Annex 2 of the Decree) which, pursuant to Article 4 of the LGMs are to be considered the minimum mandatory ones [4].
The approach adopted for the recognition of critical issues and the identification of priority project themes and related objectives involved actors and citizens. The definition of the priority level of thematic areas and Macro and Specific objectives envisaged in the aforementioned Art. 4 of the LGM, was carried out with two different approaches, chosen to involve citizens and actors in the drafting of the Plan: & nbsp;
- A first cycle of meetings with the actors and contextual compilation of the online questionnaire via the Mentimeter.com website.
- Online questionnaire open to all citizens, to be filled in between April and May 2019, through Google form.
From the campaign with questionnaires an order of priority emerges that has been kept distinct in two, one for the actors and one for the citizens, in the counts and graphically, but it is almost identical. In the area of the efficiency of the mobility system, the improvement of local public transport and the attractiveness of collective transport prevail, followed by the improvement of the quality of road and urban space and the increase in modal choice alternatives for citizens. We then move on to a significant decrease in the number of accidents, in particular those with deaths and injuries among weak users (actors) for this reason it is also a priority to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Then follow the promotion of low-polluting vehicles. The only exception is that the improvement of social inclusion is a priority for the actors, while for the citizens it is at the bottom of the intensity, when instead they are concerned with increasing employment. The reduction of mobility costs connected to the need to use the private vehicle is the least felt for the actors and the second least felt also by the citizens. For both still, ensuring accessibility for people with reduced mobility and the elderly is fundamental [5].
Furthermore, the following has been activated:
an institutional website of the PUMS on the domain www.pumslaquila.it on which it is possible: & nbsp;
- < li> find information on the Urban Sustainable Mobility Plan; & nbsp;
- watch the thematic videos for information and insights on the PUMS & nbsp;
- fill in the online questionnaire on the priorities of the objectives set by the MIT Decree 4/08/2017; & nbsp;
- view the projects and proposals received by the administration. At the moment there are 4 (ril. 8/11/19): & nbsp;
- Walkable city. Pedestrian-friendly city. It is the result of a university summer school that was held in L'Aquila from 3 to 13 September 2018, organized by Paola Rizzi of the engineering and architecture department. The City of L'Aquila, following the earthquake of April 6, 2009, in addition to the well-known problems connected to the issues of the physical reconstruction of the city, suffered a social upheaval of which the signs are still evident today. The lack of public spaces other than those offered by the historic center, already before the earthquake constituted an evident problem that required flows of displacement from the suburbs towards the center in the constant attempt to participate in urban sociality without having access to similar opportunities in the new consolidated residential districts . Reconstructing the relationship between the public space and the structure of the settlement is the basis of the reflection that stimulates the present design theme. The publication includes various hypotheses of intervention on the road axes to improve their quality, access and pedestrianization [6].
- Optitrans workshop, Interreg EU, 18-19 / 4/2018 , is a telecommunications engineering project on intelligent and cooperative transport systems. The complete document is accessible (Link 1 - projects).
- The Urban Project Roio, is a project to improve mobility and public space for a fraction, proposed by a local committee / association, but the file is not accessible (ril. 8/11/19).
- The North West Observatory Committee believes in the cycle-pedestrian network and its importance for the development of the territory. A network capable of satisfying systematic travel from home to school, home to university, home to work, but also a network that allows you to move safely for recreational / sports and tourist walks and excursions [7].
- interact directly with the municipal administration through proposals for geo-localized interventions; & nbsp;
- Vote and comment on the proposed interventions on the site or create them from scratch. & nbsp;
Social media : the Instagram page has been activated in which all the news relating to the PUMS activities are published and at the same time they are also published on the Facebook page already activated; & nbsp;
Creation of thematic videos in 4k: 3 interviews were carried out with the promoters of the PUMS and more precisely with the Mayor of L'Aquila Pierluigi Biondi and the Councilor for Mobility Carla Mannetti as well as a technical interview with the scientific consultant Ing. Stefano Ciurnell i, which can be viewed in the "Video" section of the PUMS institutional website. & nbsp;
From February 2019 a collaboration was activated with the Urban Center of L'Aquila which supported the Municipality with the organizational activity of the meetings with stakeholders and citizens.
Influence, results and effects
The process is not concluded. Yet the latest news on the site dates back to April 4, 2019. The time schedule is also frozen in April 2019. The institutional documents, the council resolutions are accessible but the last one is the one used and cited n.284 of 1/7 / 19. In addition, there is a managerial decision no. 1674 of 30/5/2017 in which incentives are offered for the purchase of pedal assisted bicycles. The PUMS Facebook page, on the other hand, is more active, thanks to the interventions of the Councilor. However, given that the councilor presents new projects and measures, it can be deduced that the participatory areas are now relegated to exchanges on this channel. The last post is dated 4/11 and is entitled "Station, parking revolution and accessibility", an article from Il Capoluogo.it. This is the presentation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Municipality of L'Aquila and RFI (Rete Ferrovie Italiane). . Previously, the center was pedestrianized and crossings were established with a prohibition to exceed 30km / h for safety. Let's say that the implementation of the plan precedes the plan itself. At least it seems in tune with the priorities of citizens, but nothing has been detected about the cycle system, apart from the incentives to buy electric bikes.
Analysis and lessons learned
The path follows an engineering scheme that perhaps would have yielded more if it had invested more in bottom-up design, given that L'Aquila has a strong concentration of research excellence and active citizenship. In fact, the priorities of MIT were quite obvious and citizens and actors could only confirm them, the problem arises when you have limited resources and opportunities and a sea of possible actions at a given moment, so how do you proceed? What measures and investments can give you greater satisfaction? In general, the citizens are all to give more safety, to reduce accidents, but then if you put the limit of 30km / h (only in crossings) and communicate only on Facebook, then the haters are unleashed, as happened, the councilor replies to the insults, and so on. While if the confrontation had taken place in a different context there would have been more dialogue. But it seems that even those projects presented by citizens will be taken into account and run, the problem is to keep the communication updated and to maintain the transparency of the process as it was done in the initial stages. However, the costs of the route are missing. The process not was shared with the actors beforehand but reached a representativeness of over 650 respondents to the questionnaire and 150 attendances at the meetings. Did not include , at least explicitly, the categories of disabled people, the elderly or other categories unfortunately defined as "weak". It did not specifically include young people, nor other elusive actors such as foreign residents and tourists. & Nbsp;
See also
- PUMS Perugia, https://participedia.net/case/5217
References
[1] P. Biondi, Mayor of L'Aquila, Program guidelines 2017/2022, Municipality of L'Aquila, 2017, http://www.comune.laquila.it/moduli/output_images.php?id=10267 (ril. 7/11/19).
[2] Del. Council n. 432 of 25/9/17, https://www.pumslaquila.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/delib-GC-432-del-25.09.2017.pdf & nbsp;
[ 3] Municipality of L'Aquila, Timetable update - PUMS drafting and participation process, Recognition of priority themes and related plan objectives, June 2019, p. 3, https: / /www.pumslaquila.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/delib-GC-284-del-01.07.2019.pdf (ril. 8/11/19). & nbsp;
[4] Ib., p. 2. & nbsp;
[5] Ib., Pp. 4: 7.
[6] Rizzi, P., Diver s City © - draft dossier summer school in preparation, 3-13 / 9, L'Aquila, https://www.pumslaquila.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/ 03 / FD-Ascanio_DICEAA_Presolazione-22.11.2018.pdf (rel. 8/11/19).
[7] North West Observatory Committee, North West cycle and pedestrian network L'Aquila, https://www.pumslaquila.it/wp-content/uploads/2019 /03/ReteCiclopedonaleNordOvest.pdf (ril. 8/11/19).
[8] Santucci, K., Stazione, parking revolution and accessibility, Il Capoluogo.it, 4/11 / 19, (ril. 8/11/19).
External links
Link 1. PUMS L'Aquila, https://www.pumslaquila.it/