San Francisco in the US did not have the money to roll out cycling lanes, so officials simply had parts of the road painted. Soon, people were riding their bikes to work.Today, the city also boasts a 50-50 split between private car users and those using public transport.Getting South Africans to venture down this road - or bike lane - might take a lot more than the month-long EcoMobility Festival taking place in Sandton.story_article_left1But sparking the mind shift that will eventually get urbanites out of their cars is precisely what the festival seeks to achieve.It is giving Johannesburg residents and delegates from around the world a taste of what is to come - although for some the festival is proving to be a headache.Some roads have been closed off and parts of others dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians, making some of South Africa' s biggest businesses virtually inaccessible by car.A nuisance to some, but it is creating a vision of what is possible - and what is needed to increase commuters' confidence in public transport.Feedback from the public will be taken into consideration in planning transport.Think broader pavements, benches along the road, ways for pedestrians to pick up a quick drink of water or snack along the way.These are among the suggestions raised in an early session at the festival.Jacques van Embden, the MD of urban development firm Blok, said one of the key issues discouraging people from hopping into a taxi or opting to walk or cycle to work is that most South African cities were not created for such modes of transport.The pavements in some areas are "beautifully planted" and wide - yet only 60cm to 70cm is left for pedestrians.In parts of Sandton there is no shade, nor a loo in sight, for those wanting to walk.Yondela Silimela, the executive head of Johannesburg's development planning department, said there was a need to create a more compact city to make public transport more viable. Densification would go a long way towards cutting the cost of public transport.Johannesburg has roughly 2600 people per square kilometre, while the ideal would be 15000/km².mini_story_image_hright1Joburg councillor Christine Walters said there was nothing stopping a suburban mother from jumping into a taxi and navigating the city."It's about getting rid of your own fears and embracing something that is really needed ... maybe they will make it exciting, the conversations you have, and the people are quite interesting."But the system as it exists does not make it easy. There are, for example, multiple payment systems for each of the different public transport options.Lisa Seftel, executive director of Joburg's transport department, said that in 10 years, public transport, walking and cycling would be the preferred modes of transport.At least 5% of commuters will be using bikes to get to work or school and 25% of urban streets will have been converted into "complete streets", she said - with broader sidewalks, cycle lanes, proper street lighting and other street furniture.The EcoMobility Festival has drawn experts and delegates from as far afield as Iceland, India, Uganda and South America.The festival is funded by the City of Joburg and private partners, and the city has invested R160-million in its EcoMobility legacy project - to ensure that life, and traffic, do not go back to normal when it comes to an end on October 31.sub_head_start Quick facts sub_head_end• In August this year, 1424086 passengers used the MyCiTi system in Cape Town;• An average of 59 184 passengers use the Mother City's system every weekday;• About 300000 commuters are transported across eThekwini on public transport systems each day;• About 150000 people move in and out of Sandton, one of the country's most congested areas, during morning peak hours; and• Up to 70% of the total Sandton traffic is made up of private cars.anetosp@sundaytimes.co.za..