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Why haven't we built upwards?

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    #32
    defrule
    Registered Users Posts: 190 ✭✭defrule


    Del2005 wrote: »
    Of course we needed to build up, or at least much much denser low rise, so that we could invest in heavy rail to move people instead of the stupid buses going miles around the place to pass by everyone's home.

    This is so true, as we build houses outward even more, the first and last mile issue becomes even more pronounced. Which drives people to use cars and even more congestion in the city. City planners then make changes to the city to accommodate more cars and it gets silly.

    Cities should be about people, not cars. It's sad to see.


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    #33
    L'Enfer du Nord
    Registered Users Posts: 587 ✭✭✭L'Enfer du Nord


    defrule wrote: »
    This is so true, as we build houses outward even more, the first and last mile issue becomes even more pronounced. Which drives people to use cars and even more congestion in the city. City planners then make changes to the city to accommodate more cars and it gets silly.

    Cities should be about people, not cars. It's sad to see.

    Dublin actually got off lightly on that score in some ways, thanks to the post war boom almost passing us by. In Bruxelles they are now planning to demolish a road viaduct opened in 1968 because they've acknowledged that there's no point in making the city centre more accessible to cars if you then have to destroy it to provide parking.

    I think there is grounds for optimism, we're more likely to see more luas, cycle lanes and maybe a Metro than anymore road widening schemes like Cork street, Clonbrasil Street or Parnell street. It'll be a battle though, look at the reaction in the Irish Times to the proposed North Quays cycle lane to see how reluctant the motor lobby is for even one lane of a few km of road to be transferred from car to bicycle usage.

    I take people's points about rivers being a barrier to building etc. Two points however: Good luck finding a water free area of Ireland to build a big city, maybe drain an exhausted bog in Offly and build it there? The rivers and canals of Dublin seem to me to be the one thing that has saved some green space which is now being used for parks and off road cycle paths and footpaths. See both canals, the Dodder, the Tolka, parts of the Liffy, The Slang in Dundrum and various other smaller rivers and streams.

    There was actually a plan to build six lane highways over the canals in the sixties. Personally I wouldn't be opposed to see some land recaliamtion from Dublin bay for some new inner suburbs, but I can't see the citizens of Clontarf or Sandymount agreeing.


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