Towards a National Harmonized Framework for Urban Plans and Strategies in Romania

Abstract

The present paper aims to open the discussion on the adoption of a simplified, flexible, and harmonized strategic framework for city development in Romania. Besides a development strategy associated with general urban planning, multiple strategies are elaborated in accordance with the requirements of the financing authorities and the specific spatial planning legislation. These strategies were developed at different times by different institutions and aim to substantiate the directions and priorities of development and attract funding for various programs. In this study, we performed a thorough analysis in eight municipalities and concluded that such strategies cannot be effective, as they are not always coordinated and often lack consistency and complementarity with other strategic and operational plans and programs at the local level. Based on an international literature review including the recommendations of the Harmonization for Sustainable Energy, Climate Action Plans, and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans developed by the EU financed project “Sustainable Integrated Multi-sector Planning” (SIMPLA), we propose a unification of the various strategies in a single harmonized, flexible strategic structure for the city. This harmonized structure includes specific components related to resilience in case of disasters and financing sources for all proposed projects.

Insights from User Preferences on Automated Vehicles: Influence of Socio-Demographic Factors on Value of Time in Romania Case

“…On a national level, most sustainable urban mobility plans and master urban plans are currently in the process of being evaluated and upgraded [74,75], therefore it is necessary to consider alternative transport options such as shared autonomous vehicles, especially for new urban developments (last mile), following appropriate educational methods from primary school to long-life learning [76]. This study can provide policy makers and urban and mobility planners with useful insights for the acceptance and deployment of autonomous vehicles in urban spaces, whether personal or shared.…”

Unveiling the Hidden Effects of Automated Vehicles on “Do No Significant Harm’’ Components

“…The vision of a city deploying AVs and complying with the DNSH principle must be guided by a strong commitment to mitigate their negative impacts, as highlighted in the previous section, by prioritizing sustainability, shared mobility, including public transport, climate governance, community engagement, and ethical implementation of technology. This vision, integrated into a coherent strategy [103], may serve as a guiding framework to shape the future of cities, harnessing the transformative potential of automated vehicles while pro-actively mitigating their potential adverse effects.…”