Jiménez describes and defines what he believes to be the right to infrastructure. He claims that, “The infrastructure is not something that is ‘added’ to the social…but, rather, something that becomes reinscribed as a constitutive ‘right’—the right to define and redefine one’s infrastructural being.” [1] Whereas some aspects of a city are additional, such as aquariums, galleries, or museums, infrastructure is a key component to the structural existence of a city. It is a right, not only for the city, but also for the people.

Useful kinds of infrastructure include physical, such as highways, electric power; social, such as police and hospitals; and data, such as the underlying codes that run the city. Simone reinforced this idea of infrastructure by taking it to the next level, claiming that not only are the physical elements of a city essential to the infrastructure, but also the people living within the city can form their own infrastructure. [2]

In Sorkin’s essay, he describes an essential element of infrastructure is the flow, which is directly related to conflict avoidance. [3] This means, the flow of traffic and how efficiently things run. When I interviewed a man in Portland for the mental maps, he mentioned that Portland should import the Woonerf sidewalk and public space system, which would help the neighborhoods flow. It is a system based on the concept of shared space that encourages interaction between all forms of transportation (i.e. bikes, pedestrians, and motor vehicles). This includes the idea that the sidewalks are at the same level as the roads on which vehicles drive, and in fact, sidewalks and bike lanes are not even labeled separately. This allows for travelers to be conscious of their surroundings, which creates a more equal system of travel, along with a more people friendly environment.

Another idea that would help advance the infrastructure in a city would be putting the electrical systems and telephone lines underground. This is helpful in the case of a storm, so the power is less likely to go out, and it makes the streets safer, and more aesthetically pleasing. Though these are not necessarily the “smartest” ideas, they are the beginning to creating a more friendly and clean space for the people who live there.

 

 

[4][5] These pictures are examples of the Woonerf system.

3. Sorkin, Michael. 2014 [1999]. “Traffic in Democracy.” In The People, Place and Space Reader, edited by Jen Jack Gieseking, et al, 411-415. New York: Routledge, 2014.

4. Woonerf. Digital image.  Web. 8 Oct. 2014. http://www.livingstreetsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Woonerf.jpg

5. Insa-Dong Woonerf. Digital Image. Web. 8 Oct. 2014. https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4117/4775157676_38b75188d7.jpg