Author: Sophie Callahan & Niklas Mischkowksi
Redesigned by: Carla Alvarez Gonzalez
Can redesigning our streets create healthier, greener cities?
The concept of “Superblocks” is an urban innovation that aims at low-carbon mobility following a participatory approach at the city and neighbourhood level. The idea is that the city, at the neighbourhood level, is reorganised into car-free areas that maximise public space for new social uses and keep road traffic outside the neighbourhoods – so called superblocks. Inner streets are redesigned for the primary use by pedestrians. The planning process as well as the adapted mobility behaviour after completion of the infrastructure changes both need strong communication and engagement work to faciliate a succesfull working of a Superblokck. In Vitoria-Gasteiz the positive environmental impacts of the measures were significant, reducing conmbustion engine-borne emmissions.
The Superblocks concept, initially developed in Barcelona, was adopted by Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2006 as part of its Citizens' Pact for Sustainable Mobility. This agreement laid the foundation for the city’s SUMP, emphasizing community engagement, infrastructure changes, and new mobility behaviors. The first Superblock, implemented in 2009 in the Sancho el Sabio neighborhood, demonstrated the potential for improved air quality, reduced noise pollution, and enhanced public spaces. Over the years, Vitoria-Gasteiz has expanded this approach to 20 neighborhoods, earning recognition as a European leader in sustainable urban planning.
Impact on climate neutrality
Impacts of the first Pilot Superblock in 2009/2010 in the “Sancho el Sabio” neighbourhood area were:
- The pedestrian surface increased from 45% to 74% of the total surface.
- Noise measured sank from 66,50 dBA to 61,00 dBA (due to reduction of motorised vehicles in the zone).
- A 42% reduction in CO2 emissions, 42% reduction in NOx, and 38% reduction in particles.
- A modal split shift from cars to walking and cycling: walking (66%), cars (23%) and cycling (11%).
By 2021, the development of 20 (out of 77 planned) Superblocks had started. According to the 2006-2016 evaluation report of the SUMP and the Cyclist Mobility Master Plan of Vitoria-Gasteiz:
- Vitoria Gasteiz has seen the development of a new mobility paradigm in the city, manifested in a shift in transport mode used for commuting.
- The environmental quality of the city has improved, including improved air quality, a reduction in total CO2 emissions, lowered noise pollution, as well as decreased congestion and fuel consumption.
In recognition of the city's effort, Vitoria-Gasteiz has received several awards, including the title of "European Green Capital" (2012) as well as the "UN Global Green City Award" (2019). The SUMP was further rated as a best practice example by UN-Habitat.
An innovative approach
The concept of the Superblocks was invented in the the city of Barcelona, where it was piloted in 1993, with two more superblocks following in 20031. The approach was also taken up in Vitoria-Gasteiz where civil society actors and the city council pushed for the development of a more sustainable mobility concept in 2006. An intense participatory, deliberative process of technical-administrative and technical-political workshops led to the Citizens' Pact for Sustainable Mobility, which was signed in 2007 by over 50 local and diverse stakeholder groups, establishing a consensus between the public administration and civil society to define new priorities for sustainable mobility. Ultimately, all of these efforts fed into the development of the SUMP, which was unanimously accepted by the City Council by the end of 2007.
A new public transport system was implemented, which was embedded into the social fabric e.g. with the help of volunteers who worked as ambassadors for the new mobility services. This was followed in 2009/2010 by the development of the first Superblock in the “Sancho el Sabio” neighbourhood.
Key enablers
Preconditions:
- pedestrian culture / identity
- Strong, well established urban sustainability policy
- Well organised population
Process:
- The high level of public participation helped create credibility of the initiative, enabling the city to overcome conflicts of interest and adjust the mobility plan to the requirements of the public.
Political-Economic/Power:
- Conflicts of interest were also not given regarding the main employers in the city: the automobile industry (providing 30% of jobs) didn’t object to the plans but expressed willingness for new mobility patterns as they still saw a market in it
Key inhibiting factors
- Resistance to change from affected residents/car-owners
- Fear of losing jobs amongst retailers
- Gentrification in superblocks is a general concern
Main positive lessons
- Large infrastructure changes are possible
- Car-free city centres are socially attractive and environmentally effective
- Main failures/barriers identified
- Need for good public transport system
- Need of good participation and sustainability culture
- Availability of funding
Main barriers found
- Resistance from car owners and affected residents.
- Concerns about gentrification in newly revitalized areas.
- Need for a robust public transport system as an alternative to cars.
- High costs for infrastructure changes and communication campaigns.
Potential for reapplication and scale-up
The costs of Superblocks as developed in Vitoria-Gasteiz mean strong infrastructural modifications and strong communication campaigns to in the end create acceptance and behaviour change. Both together mean relatively high costs. Therefore, results are transferable as long as plans with similar objectives in other cities are based on the same foundations of heavy infrastructural changes and powerful participation, communication and promotion campaigns.
All images on this site are sourced from local-social-innovation.eu. Video content is sourced from icleieurope and Eltis Mobility Portal YouTube channel.
Credits:
Creado con una imagen de saiko3p - "Virgen Blanca Square in Vitoria-Gasteiz"