SOLAR-POWERED AERIAL FUNICULAR: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ACCESSIBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE METROPOLITAN CITIES AND THEIR SATELLITE CITIES IN PERIPHERY

The urban accessibility and connectivity are enormously important factors to measure the convenience of life and the territorial liveability for residents, and they are also the most essential prerequisites for planning satellite cities in periphery near the metropolitan cities and for promoting satellite cities’ inclusive progression. Previously relative contributions demonstrated that although the metropolitan cities and their satellite cities are located quite close, but still existing the defeat of accessibility and connectivity. The article identified the need for improvements in innovating the way of eco-friendly mobility to realize the new generation green transportation under the context of all societies facing the dual pressure of environmental pollution and energy crisis. Therefore, the article presented a conceptual framework for connecting the boundary of the metropolitan cities and their satellite cities in the periphery. Through a qualitative analysis of the structure and composition, operation mechanism and the comparative advantages of the solar-powered aerial funicular and the case of Milan-Cusago, results from the research showed that it had potential as a new initiative for clean and green mode of urban mobility to further achieve accessibility and connectivity between the metropolitan cities and their satellite cities that contributes to transition for Smart Sustainable Cities.