Sustainable Mobility Concept: Civil Engineering Students Present Best-Practice Example in Fresno, USA

They participated in the conference “Fresno International Transportation Innovations Summit PEDAL 2023“. The students were accompanied by transportation professors Dr. Jeanette Klemmer and Dr. Birgit Hartz, along with Robin Kersten, lecturer for special tasks in the department.

A key focus of the presentations was the consideration of sustainable mobility concepts from the beginning of the planning process. “If you think about the mobility concept from the beginning, you don’t have to later figure out how to remove cars from the neighborhood,” emphasized Klemmer on one of the main aspects. “The presentation at the conference was a significant event for our students, and they handled it very professionally,” Hartz proudly reported.

The partnership between Münster and Fresno, facilitated by the Fresno State Transportation Institute, arose from the university’s need for a contact person in transportation, as conveyed to Hartz. This contact is intended to be further intensified in the future, with initial plans for a return visit next year. With the support of UAS7, a consortium of seven research-oriented German universities of Applied Sciences, of which our university is a member, the students secured sponsorship from the German Science and Innovation Houses (DWIH) for their trip. UAS7 also assisted in the organization and implementation on-site.

The group also used the trip to exchange ideas with DWIH San Francisco about potential support perspectives and to explore urban and transportation aspects in San Francisco and the surrounding area. Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge and riding the Cable Cars were must-do activities. Exploring Market Street and Powell Street in San Francisco, which has been closed to private motorized traffic since early 2020, was a highlight. Delivery vehicles, public transportation, bicycles, and scooters have defined the street scene since then. The group marveled at the future with autonomous rides of Waymo cars in traffic. Planning city structures and suburbs, as well as exploring highway and freeway structures, were part of the itinerary.

After the conference, the travel group headed to Los Angeles, where, before their return, they made a detour to Venice Beach and Santa Monica Pier. “The many different impressions, from cycling to autonomous driving, will stay with us for a long time,” concluded Klemmer.

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