Vivid RTT archive:

>>WHOSE PARLIAMENT?
November 2005

>>MEDIA FREEDOM AGAIN UNDER SCRUTINY
September 2004

>>FLAT TAX IN RUSSIA AND SLOVAKIA: A LESSON FOR ROMANIA
June 2004

>>WHAT ROMANIANS REALLY BELIEVE WILL COME OF
JOINING THE EU
May 2004

Romania Think Tank
The road to perdition

by Paul-Andre Baran
October 2005

When we talk about the urban planning of Bucharest we’re supposedly speaking about the organisation and influence of land-use distribution in an area that is already built up. We might expand our horizon to include greater Bucharest, popularly known as the metropolitan area as the land intended to become further built up. Planning should include several characteristics including aesthetics, safety, transportation, suburbanisation, the environment and economic development. A well-planned city, taking into consideration all these elements, can translate to a city thriving through sustained development beneficial to a majority of its citizens.

Zoning is a system of land use regulations that in theory should prevent new development from harming existing housing or businesses or in other words the kinds of activities acceptable on particular lots (like residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural), the densities of those activities (including single family homes, large apartment buildings, factories, and even the construction of malls), the height of the buildings, the amount of space they occupy on a particular lot, and how much parking is required for the specific density.

Does any of this sound or look familiar? Not in the Bucharest I know!
The recent flooding in Bucharest also brings to light just how outdated, decayed, and over burdened our public services really are. When I look at the development on the many streets near and around Herastrau Park, where lots and older buildings are being rebuilt into five and six level luxury apartment blocks all in an area where the zoning law allows for buildings no higher than three storeys, it makes one speculate on how far one can stretch the decrepit infrastructure. When you add population density, parking is the obvious culprit but the rains have shown that what’s beneath the ground can only support what is required on paper, that is constructions of up to 3 storeys!

Bucharest’s already burdened sewage system cannot handle the unplanned growth. One of my favourite images during the flooding that took place in late September was that of the sewers overflowing on to the roads and the responsible agency taking off manhole covers in order to alleviate the problem. Only they didn’t provide any signal to drivers who in turn found themselves victim, with cars shipwrecked and marooned in large sewage holes throughout the city, causing even greater traffic congestion. Now I wonder, who’s responsible? Could all those zoning variances have had something to do with this mess? Will the malfeasance of these people giving and receiving spaga at the primaria ever be held accountable for shipwrecked cars?

I can’t wait to sue the local governments of Romania for all the repairs made to my own car. I sometimes wonder how many of our Western diplomats reside in housing unfit under the current zoning laws only to go to work and declare high level corruption as Romania’s real burden. They should tell that to the guy driving the Dacia pick-up on his way home, who is now stuck halfway down a manhole.

According to Adevarul Economic, car sales are reportedly up 67.4 per cent compared with the same period last year and are expected to remain constant through next year. Where are they going to park? How long will it take to get to work? Mayor Videanu has recently presented Bucharest with some of the major infrastructure projects scheduled to begin this coming fall. There is talk of the Basarab overpass and the underground parking structure in Piata Revolutiei, clearly demonstrating that the efforts initiated by Basescu will find continuity with the Videanu mayoralty. Their efforts to obtain the funding necessary to keep traffic flowing and provide parking in the downtown area may prove insufficient.

These efforts are stymied when every autumn we become victim to our local governments (Bucharest and sector governments) dilatory response to the much needed annual road repairs which are never addressed during the summer down months. Recent comments by the head of the traffic police negating the need to invest in an automatic, computerised traffic system sound perfect as the leader for a resignation letter. Is it so hard to fire people in this country for blatant incompetence? Please, I know the answer to that one.

Bucharest and its development will be determined by our leaders’ ability to recognise the need to elaborate policies, planning, and investments based on a multi-disciplinary approach. We can’t have the mayor worried about traffic when the head of the traffic police lives in a place called Bedrock next door to Fred Flintstone. It is clearly in all our interest to guide Bucharest through this difficult period; while our public servants treat bribery and neglect as a simple peccadillo, someone needs to build Bucharest into a decent European city. Civil society has demonstrated its muscle preventing the building of the Orthodox Cathedral in Parcul Carol and big business has clearly shown how well thought out investments can enhance neighbourhoods. I think it’s high time to bring civil society and the private sector face-to-face with our elected officials to see what we can build together.

Paul-Andre Baran is the executive director of Romania Think Tank; more on Romania Think Tank can be had by visiting its website, www.rtt.ro