The Master Plan And Its Role in Civil Engineering

In city planning, there are many approaches civil engineers can take. However, one tool comes to mind when optimizing a city: a master plan. From roads to housing to community centers, engineers always search to place these areas in the most convenient and efficient locations. So, to ensure this efficient allocation of community resources along with avoiding unexpected developments, master plans have been utilized in many different cities.

But what is a master plan? A master plan is a complex document filled with plans, recommendations about future developments, and information about the development. As a whole, this master plan acts as a guide to construct a city and how to develop it in the future.

One major part such a plan analyzes is the traffic of a city. In this part, engineers take into account many factors such as surrounding population and economic activity, and formulate transportation systems (sidewalks, roads, etc.) to accommodate each need of the area. Since every part of the city is planned at the same time, engineers do not have to guess the future activity of an area.

Another part are the community areas. Places such as parks and schools are created based on the estimation of population growth in the area, along with the will of city planners in terms of the culture and social activity of a city.

When constructing communities and housing, master plans prioritize the livability and sociability of a city. This may mean placing citizens closer to economic centers for convenience as well as placing citizens closer to public areas such as parks.

The final major part of a master plan is planning for future land use. Before planning the city, surveyors and engineers analyze the topography and geographical compositions of an area, and determine which areas are most fit for certain use. Also, this may include leaving out certain spots of land in anticipation of future developments.

The Master Plan may be difficult to incorporate in urban areas and is useless in areas that are mostly developed. However, its principles should be applied to all engineers who want to be mindful in constructing a city. With its holistic planning and strong attention to detail, engineers should take inspiration from the master plan when optimizing a city.