Tramway urban integration fits the image of modern tramways better, which aim to be attractive, comfortable, fast, accessible, and integrated within their urban context. In order to reflect the concern about a better space allocation and sharing with tramways, alignment analyses were extended to urban and landscape design around the tramway project area and issues such as traffic management, site harmonisation along the tram route, and interaction with other transportation systems. Urban integration studies take into account all these factors which also depend upon technical, financial and political aspects. Finally the tramway line implementation results from a consensual process involving all the direct or indirect partners involved in the project. The consultant requires an in-depth knowledge of the project and its urban environment, analysed through: site visits / site inventory / data collection (to comprehend the site and the planned tramway-system specificities); local traffic management policy; and the conditions to optimise stations location, pedestrian access etc. In a second stage, detailed work on the tramway integration within its urban context is undertaken in collaboration with the architects and urban designers in charge of the planning of the local areas. The presentation explains the methodology generally followed for work, and introduces numerous examples from studies of existing or new tramway line projects. For the covering abstract see ITRD E126595.
Abstract