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This thesis explores the nature of public access rights for outdoor recreation in New Zealand. It aims to improve understanding of these rights by examining the New Zealand public policy framework for public access, the social constructions of access rights and the interaction of these dimensions via analysis of two contemporary New Zealand access issues: the foreshore access debate and the state-sponsored Land Access Review. An institutional arrangements framework forms the study�s conceptual basis and is critiqued for its value in the examination of rights of public access. Multiple qualitative methods were employed to collect data, including interviews with access actors, submission analysis, examination of public policy documents and critical interpretation of the access discourse within the mass media. Key themes from the international access literature are identified and the disparate nature of much of this research is highlighted. Within New Zealand, public access represents an area of research neglect. This thesis provides the first comprehensive study of rights of public access for outdoor recreation in New Zealand. A threshold has been reached in the evolution of access rights in New Zealand. Societal changes are perceived to be reducing the public�s traditional rights to access land for outdoor recreation. Owing to the importance of these rights within conceptions of New Zealand national identity, the Government is codifying access rights in a bid to protect them. Thus a shift in access arrangements is occurring, from reliance upon social customs to increasing use of public policy instruments. Access rights are being renegotiated within a highly contested environment. The debate is being staged within the political arena and via the national news media; access has become a significant national issue. As a result, the level of engagement has shifted from localised access transactions between landholders and recreationists, to a national discussion regarding competing rights to land. Access actors have reacted in different ways to the reforms of access arrangements, driven by the manner in which the proposals affect their property rights, social values and norms. Some reactions have been strident and confrontational. Inadequate public policy arrangements for access have created the 'space' for these multiple social constructions of access to develop. Convergence of a disparate and poorly enforced access public policy framework with varying social representations of access rights is influencing the access outcomes. The 'place' of public access within New Zealand society occurs at the intersection of several strongly-held cultural traditions, including private property rights, Maori customary rights, and a belief that it is a birthright to freely access the outdoors. The tension between these values underpins New Zealand�s unique (and changing) manifestation of the rights of the public to access land for recreation.

Thesis (M. Env. St.)--University of Adelaide, Mawson Graduate Centre for Environmental Studies, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (last 2 leaves ).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2009. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

A key element in moving highway construction projects forward is the ability to acquire the Right of Way (ROW) in a timely manner. Delay in the acquisition process due to multitude of causes will usually lead to major construction phase delays. Identifying the delay factors allows for better time management of the process. A detailed review of the acquisition process at the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is used as an example. Reviews of the process in neighboring states are also presented in order to determine other current practices and their likely impact on the acquisition duration. Descriptive and multivariable regression analysis of 35 randomly selected highway projects identified three variables “condemnation”, “number of parcels” and “revisions of plans” for the increase of acquisition duration. Using recognized software with analysis of variance stepwise regression a prediction model is developed and tested for the prediction of acquisition duration. These findings with new processes (forms) and an enhanced flow chart using current information technology procedures are introduced to reduce condemnation cases and to enhance the acquisition process.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Laurence A. Clement / Contemporary design of the urban environment focuses increasingly upon the quality of space found within the public right-of-way. Landscape architects and urban planners are beginning to ask new questions that deviate from the conventional streetscape designs of the latter half of the 20th century. Under the mantra “complete the streets,” communities all across America are calling for a paradigm shift towards multimodal, pedestrian-scaled urban rights-of-way. At the same time, existing stormwater and combined sewer infrastructure is nearing the end of its productive lifespan in cities all across the country and world. The direct costs associated with repairing this infrastructure combined with the indirect costs of poor water quality and a greater frequency and intensity of flooding events downstream present a strong argument for developing new, innovative ideas about how to best design the stormwater infrastructure of tomorrow. The reintegration of ecological processes into the urban fabric will act as a catalyst for the appreciation of genius loci (spirit of the place) and user meaning while mitigating downstream flooding, increasing water quality, and extending the lifespan of existing stormwater infrastructure. By studying the hierarchical categorization of urban rights-of-way according to increased levels of user orientation, this research project aims to clearly articulate a new theoretical framework for expanding upon the current discourse surrounding “complete streets” and “green streets” theory. In the long-term, it is both economically and socially profitable for cities to use ecological processes to reclaim auto-oriented, urban rights-of-way as valuable public space for the health, safety, and welfare of all their users.

Leaves 112 and 136 folded. / Digitized by Kansas State University Libraries

As linhas de transmissão no Brasil formam uma imensa rede de transporte de energia elétrica denominada SIN (Sistema Interligado Nacional). Ao longo das áreas próximas às linhas existem corredores denominados faixa de passagem. Devido à alta tensão dos cabos energizados e aos riscos para a população e para o sistema, essas áreas têm restrições de uso. Contudo, sabe-se que, frequentemente, são registradas ocorrências de ocupações ilegais. O presente trabalho discute a questão das ocupações irregulares nas faixas de passagens das linhas de transmissão de energia elétrica em áreas urbanas no Brasil. Isto porque as variáveis que influenciam para ocorrência da infração estão localizadas preferencialmente nas cidades. A análise está focada nos fatores presentes nas adjacências das faixas de passagens. Foram identificadas três características propulsoras do descumprimento da regra: a tipologia do uso do solo, a associação das condições socioeconômicas e a densidade demográfica nas imediações dessas faixas. O estudo baseia-se nessas variáveis e faz uso das técnicas do geoprocessamento para a realização de uma série de tarefas necessárias para a execução do trabalho, como mapeamento do uso do solo, geração de buffer análise e produção de overlays. Os recursos das análises de agrupamento foram o meio usado para sintetizar os dados referentes à população, à renda e à escolaridade. O modelo desenvolvido foi aplicado e testado nos arredores da Linha de Transmissão 345 kV - Anhanguera-Guarulhos, situada na zona norte da cidade de São Paulo e que perpassa por áreas com diversos tipos de urbanização, diferentes níveis de renda, variadas classes sociais e muitos tipos de uso e ocupação do solo. / The Electric Power Transmission Lines in Brazil form an immense network of electricity transportation named the National Interconnected System (SIN). Along the nearby areas of the lines transmissions, there is a zone called line transmissions corridor. Due to the high-voltage of the power cables and the risks to the population and to the system, these areas have restrictions of use. However, it is known that illegal occurrences are frequently registered. The present work discusses the matter of irregular occupations in the line transmission corridors of the electric power transmission lines in urban areas in Brazil. It is because of the fact that the variables that influence this type of infringement are exceedingly present in cities. The focus of the analysis is on factors found in the vicinities of the lines transmission corridors. Three propelling characteristics of the rules non-compliance were identified: the soil use type, the association of socioeconomic conditions and the demographic density of the surrounding area. The study is based on these factors and uses geoprocessing techniques to perform a series of tasks required for the execution of this work, such as mapping the land use, generating the buffer analysis and producing the overlay analysis. The resources of the cluster analysis were used to synthesize data referring to the population, income and education. The developed model was applied and tested in the surroundings of the 345kV electric line transmission Anhanguera-Guarulhos, located in the northern part of the city of São Paulo, passing through areas with different types of urbanization, different income levels, various social classes and many types of land use.

Typescript, etc. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

The implementation of high-speed passenger trains (HST) within existing highway right-of-way (ROW) offers a solution for regions with a demand for the capacity and service offered by HST but lacking the support for sharing freight rail ROW or acquiring new ROW corridors. The states of Florida, Colorado, California and Nevada propose to use highway ROW for their HST projects to increase the capacity of the corridor, prevent or minimize impacts and prevent disruption of freight rail operations. Despite the constraints of using existing highway ROW, such as speed-limiting degrees of curvature and safety concerns, solutions and mitigation measures exist. The purpose of this thesis is to present the HST projects in the United States proposing use of highway ROW, the potential benefits and engineering issues to consider and the feasibility of using the existing I-35 ROW in Texas for HST. / text