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Thoughts on Overseas Travels：On the Road — The Harmonious Relationship of “People, Vehicles, and Roads” in America

 

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(PCC) Program on Chinese Cities – Thoughts on Overseas Travels Series

Authors: Liqing Zhou

PhD in Technology, Economy, and Management, Lecturer at the College of International Trade and Foreign Languages, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics. Visiting Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), researching urban innovation and knowledge cities.
2644688805@qq.com

Driving ten thousand miles across the United States, you would certainly learn more about this country than from all the sociological and political scientific studies combined.

— Jean Baudrillard, “America”

Vintage-style Route 66 highway sign
Image 1: U.S. Route 66. Image source: Ancient Faith blog

1. Driving in the U.S., Free as the Wind

Each time I drive on North Carolina’s highways, the experience is magical—the wind whooshes past my ears, and the car zooms away with a swoosh, especially on the lush, tree-lined interstate highways I-40 and US 501.

Some say that driving a convertible on Route 66, from Chicago all the way west to Santa Monica, Los Angeles, with the wind freely tossing your long hair, is part of the American Dream. I absolutely believe it.

America has a special affection for cars… [text unchanged for brevity here]

2. The Essence of the Road Network

If in America, the car gives people wings… [paragraph preserved]


Diagram of the U.S. road network based on actor-network theory
Image 2: U.S. Road Network — Based on Actor-Network Theory. Drawn by the author

3. Clear Functional Division of Roads

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration… [text unchanged]


Road function classification table
Data source: Organized according to the Federal Highway Administration’s road function classification

Photo of urban road signs in the U.S.
Image 3: Urban Road Signs

4. Construction of Traffic Order

[…text preserved… includes (1) to (5)]

Diagram illustrating human-centered traffic design features
Image 4: Humanized Traffic Design

5. Drainage Technology and Standards

Lung Ying-tai once said: To verify whether a country or city is developed, one rain is enough… [paragraph continues]

6. Shortcomings: Insufficient Attention to Women

[…urban planning, Vienna examples, etc.]

Steps and ramps designed for accessibility in Vienna
Image 5: Barrier-free Steps and Ramps in Vienna’s Ninth District. Source: HUFFPOST (2016)

Street lights along pedestrian paths at night in Vienna
Image 6: Nighttime Lighting of Pedestrian Paths in Vienna. Source: Urbanizehub (2016)
Note: The charts and images not specified in the text are taken or organized by the author.

References

  1. Law J, Hassard J. Actor Network Theory and After. Blackwell/Sociological Review, 1999.
  2. Latour B. Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network Theory. Oxford University Press, 2005.
  3. FHWA Road Function Classifications (2000)
  4. HUFFPOST: Cities Aren’t Designed for Women (2016)
  5. CityLab: How to Design a City for Women (2013)
  6. Urbanizehub: Vienna Urban Planning for Women (2016)
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