Francisco Vizeu Pinheiro, a local architect and scholar, has pointed out that to have the capacity to attract more tourists to Macau, local authorities must make a choice between cars and people.
“Macau should have more pedestrian-friendly streets – which is also better for shopping – and more greenery, free from road-side pollution, making it easy and pleasant to walk around. These are the choices faced by most cities with historical centers like Macau. More pedestrian areas equals better quality of spaces and more capacity,” Vizeu Pinheiro commented.
“Introducing traffic to narrow streets creates traffic jams and pollution due to the lack of ventilation and trees along the narrow roads. The sidewalk areas also need to be better designed ‘all weather’ areas, offering protection from rain and solar radiation. Hong Kong Island has a good, pedestrian-friendly system, making it comfortable to walk long distances. Uphill travel is also easier, thanks to escalators and lifts,” he explained.
The architect pointed to academic research, which shows that tall buildings “create a screen for ventilation, contributing to the island’s heat effect, and road-site pollution produced by traffic at least doubles the area’s pollution levels, posing great health risks and contributing to respiratory and heart diseases.”
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