Sustainable mobility: “exchange poles” between transport networks and urban structure

An intermodal hub can be defined as a place where transportation networks are organized to facilitate intermodality between different modes. Intermodal hubs should intrinsically have an urban dimension and be globally designed as “plug flows”, being interfaces between transport networks and territory, being an element to create “urbanity”. Intermodal hubs focus technical, social, urban, transport, service aspects and they play a multi-modal, multi-service, multioperator role. Several studies highlight the need to “measure the interdependence” among the various aspects of urban problems, avoiding too specific methodologies. The increasing congestion in urban centres and urban parking problems encourage mobility managers to increase “exchange poles” for the interconnection between private and public transport to out of city centres. Several authors consider the “exchange poles” as planned around three roles: “transport”, “urban” and “service” function. The first is considered for the articulation of networks, the second through the integration of its close environment and the “service” for association with the movement of travellers and the information. These poles are located in large open areas, away from downtowns, easing the separation of city spaces and the concentration of desire lines, but it limits the urban inclusion of these important poles. Primarily, these nodes are scheduled to organize and ease the matching between bus lines, helping the expansion of the transport networks, to become a preferred entry point for the users. In addition, they must be places that fit the urban context with architectural quality and design, taking into account the surrounding environment. Finally, the improvement of information and users' comfort should be considered developing commercial actions to integrate urban entertainment.