Community Design and Analysis: Resiliency in Transportation Systems in the Netherlands

Rotterdam, Netherlands: June 7 – June 11, 2023

Utrecht, Netherlands: June 12 – June 16, 2023 

The UNM CCEE Transportation Study Abroad course (led by Dr. Nick Ferenchak) will provide an overview of Dutch transportation with a specific focus on the coordination of public transit, walking, biking, driving, and other modes into safe, healthy and resilient multimodal systems. The course will begin by considering land use on the regional scale (e.g. urban growth boundaries; transit-oriented developments) and the city scale (e.g. mixed use and high density buildings; public spaces). We then experience the infrastructure that allows the Dutch to seamlessly transfer between modes when traveling between or within their cities. This infrastructure includes high-level street networks, fine-grained road design, and fun amenities unique to the Netherlands such as underground bike parking garages. We also study freight movement and logistics by observing how goods travel from ports or factories by canal, train, and truck. Practical applications of European techniques for US cities and regions, including similarities and constraints, will be incorporated into all presentations.