C60 International Conference

”Tradition and Innovation - 60 Years of Constructions in Transilvania”

Analyzing the urban mobility. The case study of Cluj-Napoca.

Rozalia M. Boitor1, Mihai Iliescu2, Dago Antov3, Harri Rõuk4
1
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Baritiu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail:
melania.boitor@cfdp.utcluj.ro
2
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Baritiu Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail:
Mihai.Iliescu@infra.utcluj.ro
3
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate Street, Tallinn, Estonia, e-mail: dago.antov@ttu.ee
4
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate Street, Tallinn, Estonia, e-mail: harri.rouk@ttu.ee

Summary: Analyzing the urban mobility is a laborious process, on the account of the subject’s complexity on one hand,
and on the account of the large number of tasks involved, on the other. This could be a plausible explanation for the
situation of the Romanian urban centres, which do not have recent mobility studies. In the present context, when an
increased need to improve the urban mobility arose, the authorities face a multitude of deficiencies in resolving the
problem. In this paper, the very beginning of the mobility assessment process, namely the data collection task, is
presented under a new form of an integrated methodology. Thus, we conclude that the lack of knowledge we face at this
moment from the urban mobility perspective, could be overcame in the future for the more liveable and sustainable
urban centres in Romania.

Keywords: urban mobility, mobility assessment methodology, travel survey, travel-related zones.

1. Introduction
The cities host a multitude of human activities. These activities are spatially separated but often clustered in land use
zones. In order to take part in their activities, people need to overcome the distances between different locations and
thus arise the need for movement or the mobility demand. Transportation is defined as a derived demand, with the role
to fulfill the mobility needs. There is an overall acceptance that the land-use transport system is the key to improve the
mobility in the urban area. The integrated planning method of the travel-related zones method has been recently
developed by Ristimäki et al. (2011). The outcome of this method provides a general frame of the urban mobility by
dividing the city in smaller areas, characterized by the accessibility to the main mode of transport: pedestrian, public
transport and car. Considering the characteristics of the urban form and the land use, the size of the population and the
density in smaller areas, the available modes of transportation and the environmental issues, as well as the local policy
and urban planning orientation, the assessment of the urban mobility becomes a complex process. And thus it implies a
laborious analysis.

2. Data and Methods

The urban mobility analysis is based on a rigorous planning of the data collection task. During the process of the
mobility assessment (Figure 2), a complex overview of the present situation has to be provided at first. At the moment,
the accessibility and mobility plan of Cluj-Napoca is presented by the local government only for the metropolitan area,
in which a summary of the infrastructure and transport facilities is highlighted (City Hall of Cluj-Napoca, n.d.).

Figure 2: Methodology for the mobility assessment.

 C60 International Conference
”Tradition and Innovation - 60 Years of Constructions in Transilvania”

The mobility characteristics of the population were identified by means of travel survey. The Population Mobility
Characteristics in Cluj-Napoca survey was recently conducted this year by means of internet survey and it was designed
mainly to determine the travel behaviour for the mobility study. But the actual form of the city, the land use and the
infrastructure could be included in the analysis, as well, in order to create a mobility frame or a general picture of its
characteristics across the different areas of the city. Therefore the zoning process was developed for the city of Cluj-
Napoca (Boitor et al., 2013). The visualization of the travel-related zones’ outcome provides by far the simplest image
of the complex issue of the urban mobility.

3. Results and Discussion

Along with the ongoing urban expansion an increasing need of mobility arise. The urban transport activity is thus
continuously intensified and the urban transport becomes cause of concern regarding the amount of energy
consumptions and the effects on the whole urban system. In order to stop the expansion of the negative effects that
transportation has on the urban area, the planners have to come up with a different approach and to orient the urban
development process towards a more sustainable one. Under the circumstances the systemic planning which provides a
more comprehensive analysis, is needed. This includes the urban mobility as well, starting from the first steps, which
are the data collection and the mobility model definition.
Moreover, the choices to improve the mobility, have to be presented to the authorities along with the collection of the
effects that may occur in the urban system along with the solutions provided in the planning process. For instance, when
the congestion appeared in the urban areas it was observed that the road infrastructure was enhanced in order to
facilitate the transportation. The congestion seemed treated for a short period but in the end more car traffic arose. The
traditional planning, with its car-oriented approach, did often choose to make changes in the settlement structure, which
resulted, over time, in encouraging more motorized traffic, especially at the city border, and in creating the artificial
demand for long distance trips. This provoked (1) enhanced automobile mobility and reduced accessibility; (2) more
energy consumption and pollution, and thus increased the environmental and social negative impacts; (3) much less
compact and dense cities; and (4) serious damage for the local scale. As a conclusion building more and better
infrastructure could have more adverse effects on the urban area than to solve the transport problems.
The mobility remains constant in the transport system since it is purpose-related, either considering the intra-urban and
the inter-urban trips, or when considering all modes of transport (Knoflacher, 2007). Therefore, shifting the modal
choice from private car to more benign modes or even ecological ones is one possibility to improve the urban mobility
while reducing the negative effects of transportation on the community, urban structure, and environment.

4. Conclusions
It is essential to study smaller areas in order to build up the accurate picture of the mobility as identified in the travel-
related zones methodology. In this purpose a new methodology of the mobility assessment has been developed for the
case study analyzed in this paper. The data collection and analysis processes have been conducted according to the
research method of the travel-related zones and by means of internet travel survey, to some extent. Several deficiencies
were identified in the data collection task but by juxtaposing the outcome of both travel-related zones and travel survey,
the missing elements were identified and the general characteristics of the urban mobility assessed.
On the other hand, a reliable, well documented and fair planning process of the urban area is considered the key to a
more sustainable orientation of the urban development. This also refers to an improved mobility. A rigorous analysis of
the urban mobility and the possibilities to improve it has to be carried out in order to gain feasible solutions. Although a
very complex process, the deficiencies in the mobility assessment may be overcame by a serious planning of the data
collection as presented in this paper.
Given the importance of the mobility in the urban area, the local government of Cluj-Napoca should show more
concern for the mobility improvement starting from the very beginning with the assessment of its characteristics.

5. References
Boitor R.M., Antov D., Antso I., Iliescu M., "Analyzing the transportation accessibility for the city of Cluj-Napoca, a sustainable
approach". In Ecology & Safety, 22nd International Symposium. ISSN: 1313–2563 7–11, 2013, Bulgaria.
City Hall of Cluj-Napoca, n.d., Accessibility and Mobility – The metropolitan area, (in Romanian) viewed 25 September 2013, <
http://www.primariaclujnapoca.ro/zona-metropolitana.html?show=accesibilitate>
Knoflacher, Hermann. "Success and failures in urban transport planning in Europe—understanding the transport system."
Sadhana 32.4 (2007): 293-307.
Ristimäki M., Kalenoja H., & Tiitu M. (2011). Travel-related zones of urban form – zone criteria, urban form statistical profiles, and
travel habits (in Finnish). Publications of the Ministry of Transport and Communications 15/2011. Helsinki.