TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING AND URBAN TRANSPORT IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Abstract

The growth of Czechoslovak cities in size and numbers after World War II, accompanied by an increase of car ownership in the 60s, caused a rapid deterioration of traffic conditions in the cities. Training of new transportation engineers at the technical universities, constitution of transportation engineering organisations in large and medium-sized cities and an effective state support for the organisation and management measures adopted by these agencies helped to relieve the situation. A survey is given of tasks devolving upon transportation engineering organisations. The transportation policy of Czechoslovak cities aims at affording priority to mass transport. Favourable conditions for private car transport are created primarily in the intermediate and outer urban zones. The aim is to create a well-balanced transportation system assigning to each transportation mode the role which, owing to its characteristics, is optimal for the city and its users. Basic data relating to a selection of cities are used in the article to exemplify and comment on the contemporary level of urban transport in Czechoslovakia. Data from 8 major Czechoslovak cities are presented, covering the area, population, number of jobs, car ownership, motorisation, personal and car mobility, modal split, scope of mass transit and its articulation, road network, traffic management and road accident rate. The data collected for this article are published for the first time. The article closes with an outline of the expected urban transportation development in Czechoslovak cities until the year 2000.(A)