Speaker
Description
Participatory and inclusive urban mobility schemes have been rising as a significant trend in response to various challenges that arise in street transformations, such as political, financial and regulatory obstacles. The multiplicity and diversity of stakeholders that influence and that are influenced by planning and design decisions are important factors to take into account when devising these schemes (Bertolini, 2020). A multi-stakeholder perspective in participatory street experiment processes involves engaging a diverse range of individuals and groups in the planning, design, and evaluation of urban interventions (Beyazıt et al., 2023). This includes residents, local businesses, government agencies, urban planners, and advocacy groups, each offering unique insights and priorities. By considering varying needs and values, the approach fosters collaboration and ensures that solutions are equitable, inclusive, and context-sensitive. It encourages dialogue, addresses conflicts, and promotes collective ownership, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes (Healey, 2006). Such a perspective strengthens community engagement and enhances the likelihood of long-term success in street transformation projects.
Working closely with local administrations and other local stakeholders in Istanbul, Turkey, and Klagenfurt, Austria, ACCTRA focuses on street experiments as an opportunity to engage stakeholders and generate evidence on both the impact and acceptance of measures. This creates the basis to support political decision-making in favor of street transformations, inform planning processes for permanent implementation, and foster institutional learning processes to adapt processes and better deal with conflicts over transformations. In the Istanbul case of ACCTRA, relevant stakeholder groups specifically involve residents who integrate active transportation modes into their everyday lives, those who are affected by these modes, and those who operate them, among others. Stakeholder mapping outcomes provided input for tailored planning and design of the street experiment. In order to get the stakeholder input, an on-site participatory stakeholder workshop was held, integrating an interactive urban walk and other engagement methods.
Consequently, this study narrates two processes of ACCTRA’s Istanbul case: First, the stakeholder analysis and mapping that incorporated idiosyncratic power dynamics of the decision-making process. Second, the participatory multi-stakeholder workshop, its outcomes, and how these outcomes informed the micromobility street experiment decisions and implementation in Maltepe. The results highlight the lessons and recommendations derived from the case study and how they can be applied to future street experiments that strive to be transformative, participatory, and widely accepted by all relevant stakeholders.
References
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Bertolini, L. (2020) From “streets for traffic” to “streets for people”: can street experiments transform urban mobility? Transport Reviews, 40 (6), pp. 734-753. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2020.1761907
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Beyazit, E., Waite, I. A., Balik, H., Erturan, A. and Kesan, B. (2023) Improving women's accessibility to public transport through participatory street experiments: The case of Maltepe, Istanbul. Journal of Urban Mobility, 4, p.100062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urbmob.2023.100062
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Healey, P. (2006) Collaborative planning: Shaping places in fragmented societies (2nd Ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
| Keywords | Participatory street experiments; Inclusive urban mobility; ACCTRA project; Istanbul |
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| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
