MORE CITY, FEWER PARKING SPACES CENTRAL MESSAGE OF CORE FORO URBANO
- 5.5 million cars circulate in Mexico City
- In Mexico City, there is one car per 4 citizens
- Investing in a suitable transportation system would require at least 30 billion pesos a year
- 76% of the federal infrastructure budget is dedicated to automobile infrastructure
Mexico City, December 7, 2016.- As part of the activities in CoRe I Foro Urbano CDMX 2016 which began yesterday, the main statement issued by the participants in the roundtables was “More city and fewer parking spaces”.
There are 5.5 million cars circulating in Mexico City, which is the same as one car per every 4 citizens. Consequently, investing in a suitable transportation system is crucial and would require a yearly investment of at least 30 billion pesos. Nevertheless, 76% of the federal infrastructure budget is currently specifically to the one dedicated to automobiles.
CoRe Foro Urbano is a space where a multidisciplinary group formed by national and international entrepreneurs, academics, citizens, public servants, architects and urban planners gather to discuss the best solutions for the future of Mexico City, which is already overwhelmed in terms of demographics and economy.
To start proceedings, Antonio del Valle Perochena, Chairman of the Board of Grupo Empresarial Kaluz, invited the attendants to see Mexico City from two perspectives, quoting Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”. He suggested that the first vision was a city taken over by traffic jams and stress, and the other is one where there is no need to use a car given that good public services are within 5km of all: “these are the two options we face today for Mexico City”, he finished.
The forum addressed four main themes: Mobility, Public Space, Zoning and a Diverse City and Social Participation and Responsibility. The forum began discussing the first two.
The first roundtable was led by Camila Ween and Jan Gehl, and participating was Laura Ballesteros, Rodrigo Díaz, Edgar Farah, Onésimo Flores, Javier Hidalgo, Michael Kodransky, Ulises Navarro, Andrés Sañudo and Florencia Serrania.
This group focused on mobility inside big cities in general, and on analyzing Mexico City’s particular problems. They concluded that the following themes need to be urgently addressed: integrating urban development with public transportation, which has been laid aside up to the moment; offering more quality mobility options, especially for mass public transportation (many boast about using the London Tube or New York subway, but look down on Mexico’s subway); and searching for options that can substitute the use of cars.
Participants agreed that Mexico City faces similar challenges as other cities, especially given the frightening consequences of excessive car usage on human beings. They stated that fossil fuels are killing people and that an action plan is needed for the city and the planet to become healthier, involving specific ideas to have a chance to live in really beautiful cities.
The second roundtable on Public Spaces was led by Jose Castillo, curator of CoRe Foro Urbano, Mexico City’s Secretary of Environment Tanya Muller, Ethan Kent and Camilla van Deurs, with the participation of Tatiana Bilbao, Guillermo Buitano, Aliza Chelminski, Lili Haua, Belinda Tato, Roberto Remes and Alberto Martinez.
In this panel, participants agreed that public spaces must first and foremost be inclusive, needing to provide space and integration for local residents, visitors, businesses and those employed in the area.
Finally, architect and urban design expert Jan Gehl, associate founder of Gehl Architects and one of the foremost gurus of urban design, presented his book “Cities for People”. Over the past five decades, Gehl has devoted himself to reinventing cities so as to integrate the new needs of modern societies. His participation has been decisive in the urban re-design of cities such as Copenhagen, New York, Moscow, Sao Paulo and Singapore.
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About CoRe Foro Urbano
The forum is formed by a group of citizens (entrepreneurs, academics, citizens, public servants, architects and urban planners), with a vision of the future of Mexico City, and convinced of the great potential that our City has. Today we are going through a historic moment in which we can redefine the future, with a view to a city that maximizes all its potentials and is redefined by seeking quality of life for its citizens and its visitors. We seek to make city through four fundamental themes in order to create awareness and consensus and have the city that we all want.
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