The EcoMobility World Festival 2015 will leave a lasting legacy for the City of Johannesburg and beyond. Building on the spirit of excitement that the Festival brought to the region, the City of Johannesburg has decided to implement ten legacy projects that build on the experiences made during the month of October 2015. These projects seek to translate the temporary transportation experiments of the Festival into concrete measures that will shape the city’s future. The legacy projects are embedded in Johannesburg’s continuing efforts to reshape the city and overcome Apartheid planning, as envisioned in the “Corridors of Freedom” master plan.

The focus of these projects is on the provision of efficient public transport, the promotion of walking and cycling and the construction of accessible transportation infrastructure. All measures combined aim on providing a comprehensive multi-modal transport system, which is a prerequisite for spurring a shift in attitudes and behaviour away from private vehicle usage towards walking, cycling and using public transport for most trips. This will enable Johannesburg to move closer towards its environmental targets.

Legacy projects for Johannesburg include:

• Enhancement of walking and cycling infrastructure: Wider sidewalks and dedicated cycle lanes will be constructed in both directions of the main streets to ensure safety and comfort to a larger number of pedestrians. New cycle lanes between the Sandton CBD and neighbouring districts will be created. The construction of a 5 km dedicated cycling and walking lane between Alexandra township and the CBD on a dedicated bridge shall be completed by the end of 2016 to give dignity to the 10 000 pedestrians who use this route every day.
• Permanent public transport loop: The temporary public transport lanes in Sandton shall be converted into permanent structures. Commuter shelters shall be erected while safety and enforcement features will be enhanced.
• Dedicated lanes for high occupancy vehicles: Permanent contraflow lanes along main roads for buses, mini bus taxis and car pools will be introduced by 2016. This can reduce travel in the peak for public transport users by up to 30 minutes.
• Express buses and permanent P&R facilities: Gautrain and Metrobus will continue non-stop buses in the peak hours and have permanent park and ride sites.
• Bike distribution program: The City’s bike distribution programmes involving bike training, bike donations and a bike empowerment centre.
• Smartphone application: The Vaya Moja App will be developed providing residents of Joburg information about public transport services and traffic conditions.
• Dedicated street space for alternative uses: Public events during the Festival attracted large numbers of citizens. Consequently, temporary road transformations for alternative uses will become regular in Johannesburg, including an annual Road Safety Family Day.