3.3. Social role of transportation

Transportation has always played an important role in influencing the formation of urban societies. Although other facilities like availability of food and water, played a major role, the contribution of transportation can be seen clearly from the formation, size and pattern, and the development of societies, especially urban centers.

Transportation is vital in shaping urban societies. While resources like food and water are essential for survival, transportation helps facilitate the movement of people and goods. This connectivity allows communities to grow and interact, building larger urban centers. The way cities are structured—where they are located, how big they are, and how they develop—largely depends on transportation systems. These systems determine how easily people can access services and each other, thereby influencing social interactions.

Think of transportation as the veins in a body, carrying blood (resources and connections) to various parts. Just as a well-functioning circulatory system keeps a body healthy and active, effective transportation systems allow cities to thrive and expand, making it easier for people to interact and access necessary services.

From the beginning of civilization, the man is living in settlements which existed near banks of major river junctions, a port, or an intersection of trade routes. Cities like New York, Mumbai and Moscow are good examples.

Historically, human settlements formed near critical access points like rivers and trade routes because these locations provided essential resources and facilitated transport. Water sources were key for survival and trade routes enabled the exchange of goods and cultures. Today, many major cities are still positioned similarly, demonstrating how vital transportation links continue to shape human habitation patterns.

Imagine a camping trip where you set up your tent near a lake (the water) and a well-trodden path (the trade route). Just as you would choose that spot for convenience and resources, ancient civilizations chose their locations similarly, leading to the birth of cities that are still significant today.

The initial settlements were relatively small developments but with due course of time, they grew in population and developed into big cities and major trade centers. The size of settlements is not only limited by the size of the area by which the settlement can obtain food and other necessities, but also by considerations of personal travels especially the journey to and from work. The increased speed of transport and reduction in the cost of transport have resulted in variety of spatial patterns.

As settlements started small, they gradually expanded into larger urban areas. The growth of these cities is influenced not only by the availability of resources but also by how people travel—both commuting to work and moving goods. Faster and more affordable transport allows cities to grow outward instead of just upward, leading to new patterns in how urban areas are organized. Hence, transportation shapes not only the size but also the layout of urban environments.

Consider a balloon. When you blow air into it (transportation advances), it expands outward. This is similar to how cities grow; as transportation improves, cities can spread out and accommodate more people and activities, leading to diverse urban structures.

When the cities grow beyond normal walking distance, then transportation technology plays a role in the formation of the city. For example, many cities in the plains developed as a circular city with radial routes, whereas the cities beside a river developed linearly. The development of automobiles, and other factors like increase in personal income, and construction of paved road network, the settlements were transformed into urban centers of intense travel activity.

As cities expand beyond a distance that can be easily walked, efficient transportation technologies become necessary. This shift in mobility leads to different city designs. In flat areas, cities often have circular layouts with main routes radiating outwards, while cities near rivers developed more linearly along the waterway. The advent of cars, increased affluence, and improved road systems create urban centers characterized by heavy travel, significantly affecting daily life and city planning.

Think of a giant spider web. The center where all the threads meet represents the main part of the city, while the threads represent the roads and transport routes connecting to other places. As the spider (the city) grows, it needs more threads to connect to further areas, just as cities develop transportation networks to accommodate their expanding populations.

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