Discursive path dependence: keeping the supremacy of road-based urban transport planning in Auckland

摘要

The aim of this paper is to provide an historical overview of urban transport planning in Auckland in order to investigate the path dependence that has advanced road-based urban transport solutions in Auckland. The methodology is based on policy and planning analyses of urban transport documents dating from mid 1950s until recently, as viewed through path dependence literature. First, an historical overview of urban transport planning documents from 1955 to 2011 was undertaken to explore whether there was a 'critical juncture' in Auckland's transport planning history that initiated road-based urban development. Analysis found the road-based discourse to have been made possible through the 'critical juncture' period between 1955 and 1965. Secondly, discourses in the form of 'storylines' are documented in order to explore how transport problems are perceived, approached and shape road-based transport decisions over time. The 'economic, mobility, safety and consumer' storylines were identified to explore the presence of a 'self-reinforcement' mechanism that has led to the stability and continuity of road-based urban transport in Auckland. These storylines have been used, reused and reapplied in subsequent documents to reinforce the road-based solutions over time. The paper concludes that the discourse in path dependent nature of urban transport solutions needs to be challenged for institutional change in Auckland.