A Structural Analysis for the Categorization of the Negative Externalities of Transport and the Hierarchical Organization of Sustainable Mobility’s Strategies

Abstract

Transport systems are capable of contributing to the economic robustness of a geographic area and the well-being of its inhabitants via the supply of the necessary assets for the mobility of people and goods. However, transport projects have the capacity to produce several negative externalities such as water pollution, air pollution, barrier effects, noise, and ecological impact, which affect the quality of people’s life. Considering these facts, the main purpose of this study is to indicate methodologically how the negative externalities of transport are interlinked, so that to promote sustainable mobility development. This paper reveals via the method of structural analysis, the interrelations between the negative externalities of transport, firstly to organize them hierarchically and secondly to evaluate the potential of sustainable mobility strategies concerning the co-benefits generated by their implementation for society. The results show that the negative externalities of transport are not isolated phenomena; on the contrary, they are interlinked and can be organised hierarchically according to the relationships between them so that certain public policies can be prioritized and the negative impacts of transport can be tackled more effectively. The most critical negative externalities are the invasion of public space for the construction of more roads, along with road accidents, congestion, and local air pollution. On the other hand, the most important group of strategies for sustainable mobility are the ones oriented to urban design, and more specifically to transit-oriented development.

From Livable Communities to Livable Metropolis: Challenges for Urban Mobility in Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Portugal)

“…The third aspect was focused on road accidents and air pollution, two of the main negative externalities that result from the greater use of individual transport and longer distances, which was reinforced by the inability of public transport in peripheral municipalities. These negative externalities contributing to the negative sense of a livable urban organization at all levels [8,68,69]. Although pedestrians and cyclists are the most sensitive elements in the global context of the transport system, studies have verified benefits in the modal shift from motorized to active transport, with more benefits than risks for all users [70,71].…”

Institutional Strategies in the Ridesharing Economy: A Content Analysis Based on Uber’s Example

“…Other studies have identified private car ownership as main cause of negative externalities. Problems of high transport energy usage [87] along with issues of traffic congestion, noise, road damage, and the invasion of public space [88] have proved a challenge to progressing towards environmental sustainability. Additionally, studies on mobility in the urban area of Brussels and regions beyond [89,90] have stressed the need for removing the dominant use of the individual car, in order to reduce social costs in terms of air pollution, noise, accidents, and congestion.…”

Optimal Urban Transit Investment Model and Its Application

“…Limited land and budget resources, growing traffic demand, and congestion make city transport planning crucial to enable accessibility, quality of life, and economic growth. This is a challenging task as not only do private vehicles have many negative externalities [1], but today's planning and evaluation tools are biased toward investments in roads [2]. This paper develops and suggests a new urban transit investment model toward optimizing investments in public transport, the fundamental motorized sustainable transportation mode which enables more walkable and sustainable cities.…”