Análisis de la relación entre las políticas urbanas y planes de transporte, el caso de Lomas Coloradas, en San Pedro de la Paz (1990 – 2015)

Abstract

This research investigated the relationship between urban policies and transport plans in the urban context of the ‘Lomas Coloradas’ case study in the San Pedro de la Paz commune, part of the Metropolitan System of Concepción, Chile. The period analysed, between 1990 and 2015, was determined according to the urban milestones of the sector in which the area of study arose and reached its greatest urban expansion. The research process started with examining the literature from several authors on interactions between the transport system and urban activities. This facilitated an understanding of the problems found in housing in the Metropolitan Area of Concepción (AMC), such as the difference between people’s needs and the houses provided by the State and the lack of accessibility to the homes to urban facilities. The growing urban sprawl of cities has increased these problems, as does the development of the road structure and the pressure of real estate agents, which influenced the case study.
The analysis focused on the territorialisation of policies in Lomas Coloradas, aiming to understand the direct influence and effect of the urban and transport policies and the regulation in the development and construction of the city, specifically in the housing domain. After the theoretical study, a new methodology of analysis was proposed. Our research aimed to improve cooperation between institutions and their policies to contribute to city development. Our findings show that the study area developed as a fast urban sprawl due to the lack of regulations. Our research evidence the lack of coordination and integration between regional urban planning instruments and the existing transport plan. This was reflected in the unequal distribution of the territory, increasing urban segregation, which divided the case area into unequal sectors. These sectors differ in economic wealth, proximity and access to facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, access to services and work areas, access to public transport, and quality of life and housing. This leads to a sector where inhabitants’ basic needs are unmet.
We conclude that some of the instruments analysed have a certain degree of connection between policies, including the ‘Impact Studies on the Urban Transport System’ (EISTU). However, current transport planning scarcely considers the possible impacts of land use. Many projects are under review to identify and mitigate negative impacts. However, in practice, there is barely any coordination between policies when planning the city since the approach chiefly seems to lead to more segregation. Cities are growing mainly by ensuring convenience for those with higher incomes, who generally use automobiles as their mode of transport. Policies influence user decisions in several ways. In conclusion, the proposed analysis methodology was used to observe and analyse the factors that lead to an integrated view involving transport and urban areas. This research suggests that integrated city planning could improve the inhabitants’ quality of life.

Date of Award	30 Aug 2016
Original language	Spanish
Awarding Institution	Universidad de Concepcion
Supervisor	Juan-Antonio Carrasco (Supervisor 1) & Carolina Rojas Quezada (Supervisor 2)