Prostorno planiranje u Primorsko-goranskoj županiji - zavod pgz ...

58Draško BIŽACASummaryTHE ROLE OF TRANSPORT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITYOF RIJEKARijeka is a paradigmatic example of a town whose emergence and development had been highlyinfluenced by the quality of the transport connections with its hinterland and the world. This isbest confirmed by some historical facts, which will be presented in brief. In Rijeka, transport –both as infrastructure and especially as economic activity – has always played an important rolein the strategic development of the town.In contrast to the positive role that transport activities have played in developing socio-economicstructures in the city of Rijeka, the influence of such activities on the spatial-physical structure ofthe town has for some time now been rather negative (traffic congestion, devastated landscape,pollution, etc.). As a consequence of uncontrolled development, many large cities in the world arenow experiencing excessive physical growth and the expansion of residential-only areas furtherand further out on the periphery, while city centres are being overwhelmed/overcrowded withmainly business and social facilities. This is true also for Rijeka, although for the moment to alesser extent. Instead of having an endless, anonymous periphery, we still have time to achieve apolycentric network of towns and other settlements (polycentrism of work, dwelling and socialfacilities), in which a better transport system should play a major role. This is also a way toeliminate thresholds that have already been reached (lack of space, insufficient transportnetwork and other physical and social infrastructure), which would result in desirable overalldevelopment and better quality of life. However, this can hardly be achieved without a newRijeka-Zagreb railway and a significant increase in port transhipment.Keywords:transport and transport activities, role in creating a cityscape, development threshold, dispersionof industry, polycentrism and polycentric network of towns and settlements, quality of life