In this piece on Citiwire by Roberta Brandes Gratz, an interesting observation:
Stockholm’s population of 850,000 is expected to increase by 10,000 a year. … (But) today there are only one-third the number of cars than in the 1960s…
Congestion pricing since 2007 and highways outside of the center removed considerable traffic. The 25,000 bikers are expected to double by 2030. Bus ridership is supposed to jump considerably as well.
So, here’s another city – like New York, like Melbourne – that has fully recognized we are now in an age of declining car use, particularly in the central city. And that means there’s room for other options.
In Stockholm’s case it is resulting in the redesign of the Slussen, following a competition mentioned here in a previous PT.
When it was built, Le Corbusier loved it.
“He congratulated the city for being so brave to be modern and to take care of the needs of the car,” Schroeder says. Traffic now dominates the area. “It is all pavement,” Schroeder adds. “There is no public space and underneath, where the bus station is, it is dark and unsafe.”
Good-bye to all that.
Great article – Democracy in Sweden embraces the notion of the accountability of elected representatives to the public whereas Western democracy embraces the notion of balancing the private interests of stakeholders and isolating elected representatives thereby making them less accountable. Centuries of political evolution shows there when there is too much democracy accountability suffers. The exclusion of special interest can enhance both accountability and democracy. In Sweden accountability means saying “if you don’t like it … don’t vote for me” western democracy accountability means saying “put it to referendum….not my problem”