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Moscow, like other international urban areas , is decentralizing, despite considerable barriers. The expansion will lead to even more decentralization, which is likely to lead to less time "stuck in traffic" and more comfortable lifestyles. Let's hope that Russia's urban development policies, along with its plans to restore population growth, will lead to higher household incomes and much improved economic performance.

Wendell Cox is a Visiting Professor, Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers, Paris and the author of “ War on the Dream: How Anti-Sprawl Policy Threatens the Quality of Life ”

Note 1: The 23 ward (ku) area of Tokyo is the geography of the former city of Tokyo, which was abolished in the 1940s. There is considerable confusion about the geography of Tokyo. For example, the 23 ward area is a part of the prefecture of Tokyo, which is also called the Tokyo Metropolis, which has led some analysts to think of it as the Tokyo metropolitan area (labor market area). In fact, the Tokyo metropolitan area, variously defined, includes, at a minimum the prefectures of Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama with some municipalities in Gunma, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The metropolitan area contains nearly three times the population of the "Tokyo Metropolis."

Note 2: The expansion area (556 square miles or 1,440 square kilometers) has a current population of 250,000.

Note 3: Includes all residents in suburban districts with at least part of their population in the urban area.

Note 4: Urban area data not yet available.

Photo: St. Basil's Cathedral (all photos by author)

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Road in city area.

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Transit & transportation

Transit and transportation services are quite impressive in most of the urban cities; therefore people were getting better benefits from suitable transportation service. Urban cities like Moscow, Washington, New York and Tokyo; we have found high margin of transportation system that helps to build a better communication network in these cities. I hope through the help of modern transportation system we are able to bring revolutionary change in automobile industries; in this above article we have also found the same concepts to develop transportation system. Mercedes repair in Torrance

Moscow is bursting Noblesse

Moscow is bursting Noblesse at the seams. The core city covers more than 420 square miles (1,090 kilometers), and has a population of approximately 11.5 million people. With 27,300 residents per square mile (10,500 per square kilometer), Moscow is one percent more dense than the bleach anime watch city of New York, though Moscow covers 30 percent more land. The 23 ward area of Tokyo (see Note) is at least a third more dense, though Moscow's land area is at least half again as large as Tokyo. All three core areas rely

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Russians seeing the light while Western elites are bickering?

What an extremely interesting analysis - well done, Wendell.

It is also extremely interesting that the Russian leadership is reasonably pragmatic about urban form, in contrast to the "planners" of the post-rational West.

An acquaintance recently sent me an article from "The New Yorker", re Moscow's traffic problems.

The article "abstract" is HERE (but access to the full article requires subscription)

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/02/100802fa_fact_gessen

One classic quote worth taking from it, is: "People will endure all manner of humiliation to keep driving".

I do find it odd that the "New Yorker" article author says nothing at all about the rail transit system Moscow had, on which everyone was obliged to travel, under Communism. It can't surely have vaporised into thin air?

Moscow is a classic illustration of just how outmoded rails are, and how important "automobility" is, when the auto supplants rails so rapidly than even when everybody did travel on rails up to a certain date, and the road network dates to that era, when nobody was allowed to own a car; an article written just 2 decades later does not even mention the rail transit system, other than to criticise the mayor for "failing to invest in a transit system".......!!!!!!!!

This is also a give-away of "The New Yorker's" inability to shake off the modern PC ideology on rails vs cars.

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HYPOTHESIS AND THEORY article

This article is part of the research topic.

"Affiliative nomads" in the age of mobilities

Affiliative nomads in Japan: Potential sustainable tourism stakeholders in depopulated rural areas Provisionally Accepted

• 1 Hannan University, Japan

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

In Japan, the overall population is declining. Depopulation is severe, resulting in various negative consequences, particularly in rural areas. Rural communities could benefit by collaborating with people from other places, mainly urban areas. Typical examples of visitors or tourists from urban areas in these cases are referred to as "kankei jinko." The more fundamental issue, however, is that many rural residents have lost confidence in their ability to live in areas with declining and aging populations. It is important to note the potential for highly mobile people from urban areas to increase the civic pride of rural residents. This raises questions about who these nomadic people, or "affiliative nomads," are and how they interact with residents. To answer these questions, we analyzed cases of affiliative nomads in previous studies. The nomadic people showed respect for the rural areas to the residents; as a result, they were perceived by the residents as being in a stage of growth. When the nomads and residents interact, they create common values such as nature conservation and economic and community revitalization. Thus, the nomads cultivate civic pride among the residents and could be regarded as affiliative nomads. Furthermore, some coordinators bridge residents and nomads to expand their relationships with other people. Affiliative nomads may be sustainable tourism stakeholders and contribute to solving the problems of depopulated areas in Japan and other developed or emerging countries.

Keywords: Nomads, Affiliative, Shared Values, indebtedness, Coordinators, Revitalization, Depopulation, social inclusion

Received: 30 Oct 2023; Accepted: 29 Apr 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Horiuchi and Morishige. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Mx. Shiro Horiuchi, Hannan University, Matsubara, Japan

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Soaring ambitions: Ropeway firms swing to action to transform travel, tourism

A ₹1.25 trillion plan is set to elevate india’s tourism and urban transit, as ropeway companies gear up to revolutionize connectivity across scenic and urban landscapes.

NEW DELHI : If you've taken a ride on a ropeway anywhere in India, such as, say, in snow-clad Gulmarg (Kashmir) in January, you will know the exhilaration that comes from it. Apart from delivering that stimulus to tourism, ropeways also provide an added mobility option in a region.

More ropeways could find their way into your intinerary soon, as a plan from the Centre to step up their presence finds rising acceptance from operators. Companies like Usha Breco and Skyview by Empyrean, among others, are coming up swinging with plans to build more ropeways across the country.

This January, roads and highways minister Nitin Gadkari had announced plans to develop more than 200 ropeway projects valued at ₹ 1.25 trillion over the next five years. This idea is to revolutionize travel and tourism, particularly in mountainous regions. 

The minister had emphasized the benefits of reducing project costs and fostering public private partnerships (PPP) as catalysts for a proliferation of such projects.

Companies, projects and plans

Among the early adopters of this initiative is Delhi NCR-headquartered Usha Breco. Established in 1969 with its first passenger ropeway at Maa Mansa Devi in Haridwar, the company is currently evaluating four projects that could significantly expand its operational scope. 

With its existing projects spread across Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Odisha and Assam, Usha Breco is actively seeking to extend its footprint using the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model in partnership with the government. 

Currently, it operates nine ropeways under the ‘Udan Khatola’ brand in places like Jatayupura and Malampuzha in Kerala, Girnar in Junagarh, Haridwar and Odisha.

Manoj Panwar, president of operations at Usha Breco, said that increasing domestic travel demand has elevated the role of ropeways at key tourist destinations. 

Also Read: From Baku to Batumi, Indian traveller hits the unexplored trail

Advancements in technology have simplified access to mountainous and remote areas via ropeways, making them crucial for urban and tourist transportation, Panwar said. 

In recent years, the company has invested more than ₹ 200 crore to develop ropeways at places like Jatayupara in Kerala and Girnar in Gujarat. A recent memorandum of understanding with the Uttarakhand government involves a ₹ 1,000-crore investment to initiate new projects, he added.

The company plans to spend about ₹ 25 crore annually over the next three years on maintenance and repair of existing facilities, funded through internal accruals. 

A November 2023 report by CARE Edge Ratings highlighted Usha Breco's strategy to boost its operational income above ₹ 250 crore while maintaining robust profit margins, facilitated by the addition of new ropeway projects.

Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, proposals for five new ropeway projects by private entrepreneurs are reportedly expected to receive approval soon. These projects, including an 8-km long urban mobility ropeway from Sewri in Mumbai to Raigarh’s Elephanta island, are set to enhance local transportation solutions.

Skyview by Empyrean , another key player in the hospitality and ropeway sector, is considering a project to overhaul the ski facilities in Uttarakhand's Auli region. Originally built in the 1970s, the existing ropeway and ski facilities in Auli are due for an upgrade.

The state government has proposed building a new ropeway and significantly improving the existing ski infrastructure, the company's managing director Syed Junaid Altaf told Mint, adding that the company has a comprehensive redevelopment plan for Auli.

“We are actively evaluating three to four projects under the government's PPP…We are also evaluating more ropeways in Jammu & Kashmir and the North East states," he said.

The company's existing ropeway at Patnitop in Jammu and Kashmir is not just a transport solution but is being developed into a comprehensive tourist destination. The company has earmarked ₹ 25 crore to increase its hotel rooms from the existing 15 to 100 in the next three years.

"We get 100,000 tourists annually on this ropeway…the highway between Jammu and Srinagar…(will be complete) in the next 18 months. That will help increase tourism to the union territory and most of the tourism infrastructure in this area should benefit from that," he added.

Srinagar-headquartered FIL Industries, the parent company of Skyview that was launched in 2014, collaborates closely with the government on revenue-sharing models and enhances regional tourism by integrating hotels, entertainment, and retail spaces with their ropeway projects. 

Currently, FIL is investing over ₹ 500 crore in building ropeway systems in Mussoorie and Yamunotri through a consortium arrangement.

Also Read: Scent of growth for Indian hotels as the good times check in

Additionally, FIL is set to expand its Dehradun-Mussoorie ropeway project by adding hotel rooms, with the ropeway construction budgeted at ₹ 300-350 crore and an additional ₹ 100 crore planned for hotel development in the subsequent phase. Operations are scheduled to start in 2026, and the company also plans to develop a dining complex on a four-acre site at the valley's summit.

Ropeways and infrastructure

India's ropeway industry, although small with only a few full-time companies like Usha Breco and Damodar Ropeways & Infra Ltd (DRIL), plays a crucial role in the infrastructure landscape, often partnering with road construction firms under the hybrid annuity model (HAM) for implementing highway projects.

In January, Gadkari had underlined the government's commitment to supporting ropeway development with 60% construction funding under the HAM, which is higher than the support extended for national highways, to attract more private investment. 

In a HAM project, private players construct the project and have no role to play in the ownership and toll collection, while the government releases a part of the project cost to them. Sometimes private players go with the BOT model and sometimes they just do the engineering, procurement and construction.

Ropeways offer a viable and economical alternative to traditional public transport systems, especially in less populous cities where large-scale metro systems are not feasible, Altaf said. 

With capacities ranging from 3,000-4,500 people per direction per hour, ropeways can significantly enhance urban mobility in tier-II and tier-III cities, he added.

Read More: Airfares have soared, but summer travellers don't care

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

• All Regions
• ‘Overtourism’? – Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions

This report analyzes the perception of residents towards tourism in eight European cities – Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Munich, Salzburg and Tallinn – and proposes 11 strategies and 68 measures to help understand and manage visitor’s growth in urban destinations.

The implementation of the policy recommendations proposed in this report can advance inclusive and sustainable urban tourism that can contribute to the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Click here   to obtain the full version of this publication.

Click here   to download the factsheet.

ISBN : 978-92-844-1999-9

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Use IBM tactic on Vero Beach Three Corners? Growth hurts Stuart, Port St. Lucie; Lake O

Use ibm strategic decision process for vero beach three corners.

As I read the thoughtful assessments of the four exciting but different proposals for the Three Corners, I am reminded of the decision process we used in our IBM strategy work.

This approach was often used in big business, infrequently in urban planning or the public sector. The key point is that a "hybrid solution," blending the best elements of each of three or four different approaches, may produce the best results. 

Here's how it works. When facing a complex strategic business decision with some clear alternatives (each supported by a strong group of advocates), start off by clearly defining each of the major alternatives and then the probable measurable results of each.

For example, Alternative 1 might have three or four major elements: A) build a hotel, B) an outdoor event stage, C) a mini-marina and D) two restaurants. For each of those elements, there would be possible measurable benefits (tax revenues, citizen satisfaction, tourism attraction) and measurable minuses (traffic/parking, road construction, police/safety costs, noise, pollution). Where specific facts aren’t knowable, estimated ranges are acceptable.

After analyzing each of the four major alternatives, the team (which includes advocates of each major alternative), develops a hybrid solution that pulls the best sub-elements of each alternative into a combined solution that has broad support and optimizes the cost/benefit equation.

I applaud the good work done so far and look forward to a well thought-out plan that many in Vero Beach can support.

Doug Sweeny, Vero Beach

Rampant growth barreling north ruining our quality of life

Almost weekly, our city and county commissioners approve the construction of thousands of new homes, shopping centers and strip malls, with virtually no regard for the impact these structures will have on our infrastructure, especially our roadways.

This is occurring unabated all over the Treasure Coast and is not confined to just one city or county. 

It is obvious that the winners are the developers/builders who profits are skyrocketing, and our politicians who feel that "bigger is better" despite the costs. The losers are our present and future residents who are subjected to out-of-control and destructive urbanization that is sweeping northward from Miami-Dade County. 

Until our elected officials either change their philosophies and/or are replaced by more open-minded officials who care about our quality of life, this urban tragedy will continue to occur, and the quality of our lives will continue to deteriorate. 

Charles Miller, Port St. Lucie

Stuart, Port St. Lucie 'the best'? Not anymore

Regarding all the hubbub about Stuart and Port St. Lucie being recognized in national publications for being among the best either in Florida or nationally, I’d recommend everyone to take it with a grain of salt.

And for those who live in nearby towns that want such recognition, my advice is to be careful what you wish for.

My wife and I started snowbirding in Stuart a decade ago and four years ago decided to move to the Treasure Coast full time. We ended up in Port St. Lucie, buying an older home on the water.

We’ve seen a huge change, for the worse, in just the years we’ve been here.

We have many friends here who are longtime residents and far more disturbed by the changes in both Stuart and Port St. Lucie. It all boils down to too many people. Too much building, which brings overcrowded roads, stores, restaurants, schools, waterways and beaches.

Oh yeah, and crime.

Stuart and PSL used to be nice, quiet places to live. Lately, they’re looking more like West Palm Beach. Urban sprawl keeps moving north along the coast and I’m sure there’s little that can be done to stop it since politicians are forever in league with wealthy developers.

And yeah, you can say a certain area is “built-out” but, is it really? Don’t we constantly see currently occupied parcels of land being cleared for high-density housing? Why? Money. Plain and simple. Developers and politicians make money and current residents see rising costs, lowered property values and a reduced quality of living.

Face it, there’s nothing in PSL to write home about. For years, people moved here for peace and quiet. Lately, there’s still nothing here of substance and now it’s neither peaceful nor quiet.

Kevin Donovan, Port St. Lucie

Time to fix Martin County's tribute to Bob Graham

I generally ride my bike varying distances along State Road A1A on Hutchinson Island. Bob Graham Beach is one of my turnaround points.

Ironically, I stopped and read the monument plaque on the day Bob Graham's passing was announced. It reads:

"BOB GRAHAM BEACH. THIS BEACH WAS DEDICATED ON MARCH 8, 1983, IN RECOGNITION OF THE EFFORTS OF GOV. BOB GRAHAM WHO ESTABLISHED THE SAVE OUR COAST PROGRAM WHICH RESULTED IN THE ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL MARTIN COUNTY BEACH PROPERTY."

The decaying monument stands, barely visible, about 10 yards north of the beach entrance and the bronze plaque is corroding.

Martin County should make an effort to better remember what Graham did for it by restoring the monument and plaque and placing it in a more visible area of the parking lot so beachgoers know who to thank for their beach.

Marshall Aykroyd, Hutchinson Island

Don't bash farmers south of Lake Okeechobee who feed us

There's a troubling trend of painting farmers as the scapegoats for environmental issues surrounding Lake Okeechobee. Having grown up in Clewiston, I've witnessed firsthand how certain groups vilify our farming communities, jeopardizing not just our way of life, but also the stability of our nation's food supply.

Everglades area farmers are responsible for feeding more than 180 million Americans a year. Special-interest groups have unfairly targeted them, particularly sugar cane farmers, while disregarding the realities faced by our many smaller, family-run operations.

It's important to set the record straight on these special-interest, activist groups. They've relentlessly pursued agendas that would cripple our farming communities, seeking to convert large pieces of productive farmland into restoration projects to solve various water issues throughout the region — oblivious to the economic devastation and food shortages that would follow.

Despite farmers' significant contributions to improving water quality over the years, relentless attacks and misinformation campaigns have continued while the true sources of Lake Okeechobee's water issues remain largely unaddressed.

Behind their facade of environmental concern lies a stark reality; these groups are driven not by a desire to protect our natural resources, but by a blatant anti-farming agenda. They've capitalized on crises like the blue-green algae blooms and red tide to further their fundraising, all while conveniently ignoring the fact that more than 95% of Lake O’s water/pollutants flows in from the north through a chain of lakes ― not farms south of the lake.

We need to move beyond the divisive rhetoric and false narratives that have hindered progress of the big lake’s restoration. A cleaner lake benefits all areas and all interests connected to it.

As president of the Lake Okeechobee Business Alliance, I'm committed to shedding light on the realities faced by our farmers and rural communities and advocating for their interests in the face of relentless, misinformed opposition.

Julia du Plooy, Clewiston, is president of the Lake Okeechobee Business Alliance.

Bad hurricane season doesn't bode well for water quality

I am concerned that predictions of an active hurricane season may make high-volume discharges from Lake Okeechobee inevitable.

The lake’s water level is higher now than it has been at this time in the past 16 years. Summer discharges also carry with them the threat of blue-green algae in our waterways. These blooms pose a threat to our ecosystem and endanger public health and the livelihoods of countless residents and businesses that rely on our waterways. Many remember the “Lost Summers” of 2013, 2016 and 2018, when serious algal blooms caused severe economic repercussions in the area. Tourism, fishing, and recreational activities were all shut down.

Hurricane season begins on June 1, and forecasts do not look good. Current predictions call for 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes. All much higher-than-average numbers. These tropical storms can cause direct, devastating damage to our coastal communities as well as major, indirect impacts like high-volume and prolonged Lake Okeechobee discharges to the coastal estuaries.

As we prepare for the 2024 hurricane season, we must keep an eye on Lake Okeechobee and how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District are managing it. These two agencies must work together to take proactive steps that address Lake Okeechobee water levels and the imminent threat of discharges and algal blooms brought on by these storms.

The health of Lake Okeechobee is intertwined with the well-being of South Florida’s coastal communities. Sending lake water south would restore the Lake’s already fragile ecology and reduce the potential for damaging discharges to the estuaries. We must safeguard our environment, protect public health, and ensure our economic resiliency.

Mark Perry is executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society, Stuart

Florida must focus on public and worker health

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency that oversees workplace safety, has a budget of $632 million. With your taxpayer dollars, it performs 1,850 worksite inspections, covering 130 million workers at more than 8 million locations across the United States.

It advises employers of unsafe working conditions, makes recommendations to address common dangers and issues citations for violations.

By any standard, it is effective. Over the past five decades, it has overseen the reduction of deaths on the job from 38 per day in 1970 to 15 per day in 2022. It has helped make workers safer on the job by combating injury and illness in the workplace with proven measures.

Unions were instrumental in the creation of OSHA and play a vital role in its ongoing successes.

Is that why Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his rubber-stamp super majority, extremist Legislature want to withdraw from OSHA and dismantle unions in Florida? Are the powerful Tallahassee lobbyists the reason Florida banned local heat safety and wage laws?

Their recent attacks on the rights of workers to form or join unions have done nothing to help workers and many things to hurt working families. The Republican stranglehold on Florida has resulted in a reduction of child labor protections, the decline of home rule and laws that make working outside in the Florida heat more dangerous than ever.

The National Association of Letter Carriers declared April 28 “Protect Our Letter Carriers” Day and the organization planned to rally in Port St. Lucie. It wants to focus on ways to make mail delivery more safe. It was also Workers Memorial Day, when unions honor those who have been fatally injured while working.

The time is now for Floridians to say enough is enough. It is time to elect lawmakers that will actually protect workers, not corporations. It is time to put public health and worker safety at the forefront.

Felicia Bruce, Fort Pierce, is president of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans.

Congress must pass Alzheimer’s legislation

Nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, including more than 580,000 in Florida. As a former caregiver to my mother, who died from Alzheimer’s last September, I understand the impact this disease has on Treasure Coast families.

Getting an accurate diagnosis can often take years or simply go unresolved. We must ensure that our community public health infrastructure is ready to support families through this journey and ensure they receive accurate diagnoses. That means providing primary care physicians with the right tools and knowledge to recognize the disease and provide diagnoses so new treatments can be accessed in the early stages.

Two bills must get support from our Treasure Coast representatives. The BOLD Reauthorization Act of 2024 would continue strengthening the Alzheimer’s public health infrastructure, empowering our local public health department to implement dementia interventions such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and supporting the needs of caregivers.

The Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer’s Provider Training Act would empower primary care providers to better diagnose Alzheimer’s and other dementia. It would help them to deliver high-quality, person-centered care in our communities.

I hope Congressman Brian Mast will join the Southeast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in advancing these bills and policies that will continue making progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

While my mother can no longer fight back against this devastating disease, I am proud to fight on her behalf, and on behalf of everyone impacted by Alzheimer’s and all other forms of dementia.

Leigh Hebard, Vero Beach

Major issues with electric vehicles

The cost of manufacturing an electric vehicle not only exceeds the cost of a gas combustion-operated vehicle, the staying power and longevity have yet to be determined for the EV.

Social implications, including gathering raw material in China (with slave labor), has political side effects in dealing with an adversary. There is no defining calculation as to how much fossil fuel it takes to rape the Earth to get the materials into a battery that is made in a factory run by fossil fuel. The vehicle itself, components and replacement parts are manufactured in factories run by fossil fuels. The public recharging station or the portal at your home changes fossil fuel into energy used by the EV. The disposal of old EV batteries creates an environment disaster yet to be determined.

Martin Jacobson, Port St. Lucie