Railway Station Area Research Articles

Evaluate user satisfaction for urban design of railway station areas: An assessment framework using agent-based simulation

AimsRailway station areas can play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development if integrated with cities and be fluctuation-responsive through effective urban design. However, during the design stage, assessing the station areas' performance, of which user satisfaction is indicative, is challenging due to methodological limitations. Agent-based simulation (ABS) is promising as it can link spatial features with agents' behavior features. This research questions to what extent ABS can help assess the urban design of station areas. MethodsThis paper adopts the user pyramid as the theoretical framework, which outlines five types of user needs: safety, speed, ease, comfort, and experience. The paper selects indicators linking satisfaction and spatial features at the district and building levels. These indicators are measured in the simulation of the station system using digital tools, including MassMotion and Python scripts. The theory, indicators, and tools, in combination, serve as an assessment framework. Rotterdam Central Station is used as a case to demonstrate how the framework works. ResultsThe framework is capable of assessing design alternatives by identifying changes in user satisfaction. It can be applied on the district level (at a scale of 250 m) with substantial details to inform design decision-making, and it is useful during the design stage when only limited data is available. This paper strengthens the scientific knowledge of railway station areas through the multidisciplinary literature review that translates user needs for urban design use, and it advances the digital means to visualize user satisfaction affected by design.

Understanding the Synergistic Effects of Walking Accessibility and the Built Environment on Street Vitality in High-Speed Railway Station Areas

The high-speed railway (HSR) has profoundly influenced individuals’ lifestyles and travel behaviors. The development of HSR stations and their surrounding areas plays a critical role in urban growth, enhancing both transport efficiency and urban functionality. This study investigates the development of HSR station areas, with a particular focus on Shanghai Hongqiao station, emphasizing the enhancement of street vitality as essential for integrated urban development. Street vitality in station areas is closely associated with individuals’ activities and travel behaviors, influenced by walking accessibility and the built environment. Understanding these factors is crucial for improving the efficiency and attractiveness of HSR station areas. Although extensive research has examined the separate impacts of the built environment and walking accessibility on street vitality, a significant gap remains in comprehending their synergistic effects. This study employs GPS and point-of-interest (POI) data to analyze the stay time of HSR passengers in station areas. Utilizing machine learning algorithms and geographic information system (GIS) tools, this research models the impact of walking accessibility and the built environment on passengers’ stay time. The results indicate that passengers are more inclined to remain within areas accessible by a 7 min walk from the station. Furthermore, the synergistic effects of walking accessibility and the built environment can inform the spatial planning of various functions. These findings provide valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers aiming to enhance the development and efficiency of HSR station areas.

Spatiotemporal Changes and Driving Analysis of Ecological Environmental Quality along the Qinghai–Tibet Railway Using Google Earth Engine—A Case Study Covering Xining to Jianghe Stations

The Qinghai–Tibet Railway is located in the most fragile and sensitive terrestrial ecosystem of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in China, and once the ecological environment is damaged, it is difficult to restore. This study, based on the Google Earth Engine platform, focuses on the section of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway from Xining to Jianghe. It utilizes Landsat series satellite imagery data from 1986 to 2020 to calculate the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI). This approach enables large-scale and long-term dynamic monitoring, analysis, and assessment of the ecological changes along the Qinghai–Tibet Railway corridor. The results indicate that (1) the average RSEI of the study area increased from 0.37 in 1986 to 0.53 in 2020, showing an overall trend of improvement. The ecological environment quality is mainly categorized as medium and good. (2) The quality of the ecological environment in the areas along the railway experienced fluctuations during different periods of railway construction and operation. From 1986 to 1994, after the first phase of the railway opened, the overall ecological environment showed a relative decline in quality. From 1994 to 2002, the ecological quality of 60% of the region saw slight improvements. During the extension construction of the second phase of the railway from 2002 to 2007, the regional ecology fluctuated again. However, from 2013 to 2020, during the operational period, a stable recovery trend was observed in the ecological environment. (3) The ecological environment in the study area is influenced by multiple factors. Different railway station areas exhibit strong spatial heterogeneity. The impact of single factors is significant, with the existence of spatial stratification and enhanced interactions among multiple factors. The strongest interactive effects are observed between land use types, the intensity of human activities, and temperature.

A comparative study on walking accessibility of high-speed railway station areas in China and Japan based on analytic hierarchy process -- Beijing station and Osaka station as examples

ABSTRACT To capture the factors influencing and measurements of pedestrian accessibility to high-speed rail station areas, ensure the balance between the transportation function and place performance of high-speed railway station areas, the correlation factors and laws of pedestrian space characteristics of high-speed railway station areas under different development modes are studied through the comparison of typical high-speed railway station areas in China and Japan. Combining the circle law and hierarchical analysis method, we establish a walking accessibility index system, construct a walking accessibility evaluation model for the high-speed rail station area, measure the degree of walking accessibility in the high-speed rail station area, and analyze the influence mechanism of different walking space components on the walking accessibility of the high-speed rail station area circle. The results indicate that: 1) Osaka Station space is much more walkable than Beijing Station in all circles; 2) The spatial development within the Beijing Station Station Circle is uneven, and the degree of pedestrian accessibility decreases as the circle’s extent increases; 3)Different station spaces have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of the distribution of public facilities and amenities, roadway attributes, pedestrian path characteristics, depending on their respective national conditions and station development patterns.

Predicting land use change around railway stations: An enhanced CA-Markov model

Predicting land use change around railway stations is crucial for facilitating the coordinated development of transport and land use. Previous studies have seldom focused on simulating and predicting small-scale land use changes at a railway station. Therefore, this study employs an enhanced Cellular Automata-Markov (CA-Markov) model, aiming to achieve simulations and predictions with heightened precision. Firstly, two additional driving factors, namely accessibility to railway stations and the kernel density of points of interest (POIs), are incorporated into the CA-Markov model. Secondly, the validation of the enhanced model is achieved through simulating land use changes around Dujiangyan Station. Finally, this model is applied to predict land use around Mianzhu South Station in 2026, and optimization strategies for railway station areas are proposed. The results indicate an 83.43-hectare reduction in farmland area, accompanied by a moderate increase in 35.8 hectares of forest land and 41.52 hectares of residential land. This enhanced model provides valuable technical support for strategic planning in railway station areas.

Evaluation of the impact of urban redevelopment projects with high-rise condominiums on the formation of compact cities in railway station areas

Evaluation of the impact of urban redevelopment projects with high-rise condominiums on the formation of compact cities in railway station areas

Transit-Oriented Development in China: A Comparative Content Analysis of the Spatial Plans of High-Speed Railway Station Areas

With rapid high-speed railway (HSR) developments in China, HSR-based transit-oriented development (TOD) has proliferated across the country. Although local governments claim that HSR station areas are planned according to TOD principles, some scholars argue that these station areas actually contribute to unsustainable development. This study investigates two main questions: (1) what success factors should be included in a TOD plan for HSR station areas? (2) to what extent are these factors considered in the plans of Chinese HSR station areas? To answer these questions, we use content analysis to compare spatial plans for 15 HSR station areas across China, triangulating the findings via in-depth interviews and field investigations. This study reveals that most of the factors in the plans for HSR station areas deviate from TOD principles, especially in small- and medium-sized cities. We find that Chinese local governments mainly use TODs as a tool to promote suburban expansion around HSR stations.

Evaluation of Sustainable Development Potential of High-Speed Railway Station Areas Based on “Node-Place-Industry” Model

The development of the HSR station area is the result of the combined effect of the three elements of transport, place, and industry. This study introduces the industrial dimension and constructs the node-place-industry model to empirically analyze the development potential of station areas along the Hunan section of the Beijing–Guangzhou and the Shanghai–Kunming high-speed railway lines. The results show that (1) the development of the three spatial elements of the station area is mostly out of sync, and the node value has the highest fit with the integrated potential value of the station area; (2) there is a significant correlation between the magnitude of the combined potential of the station area and the site location, station class and time of development; (3) according to the results of the cluster analysis, it was found that most of the stations were in a state of disequilibrium, and the main reason was that the functional value of the place did not match with the value of industrial aggregation. In particular, the introduction of the industry dimension extends the NP model and establishes a tessellated analytical framework for station type classification, providing an interesting assessment tool for the sustainable development of transport hub areas.

Evaluation of Parking Demand at Valsad Railway Station

Abstract: The world's fastest growing major economy is India. Gujarat is one of the fastest-growing states in India, with strong industrial and economic growth. A well-balanced transportation system is vital for the overall growth of any region. Gujarat also has a robust rail network, which complements this. Gujarat is the location of one of the busiest railroad lines that connects the political and commercial centres of Delhi and Mumbai. On the railway lines connecting Mumbai with Delhi and Ahmadabad with Mumbai, Valsad is one of the significant and crowded stations. Many residents of Valsad hold jobs in the neighbouring cities of Mumbai, Vapi, and Surat, among others. As a result, railroad is a popular means of transportation. The majority of these folks drive their two-wheelers or other vehicles from their residences to the railroad station, where they usually park them. People used to park their cars outside the parking lot during peak hours, such as early in the morning and late at night, when there was a significant demand for parking at the railway station. Because of this, adequate parking facilities are needed to prevent situations of this kind. According to field observations, there are not enough parking spaces at Valsad Railway Station. Because commuters used to park on the sides of the roads and on the sidewalks, there was constant traffic in and around the railway station area. As a result, Valsad Railway Station needs to evaluate parking demand. Inventory of parking spaces and a survey of parking utilisation by petrol were done to assess the parking demand licence plate technique. the demand exclusive parking surveys will be used to achieve clear situation of the existing parking state of affairs and future recommendation to ease the parking demand.

Construction technologies and mechanical effects of the pipe-jacking crossing anchor-cable group in soft stratum

In this study, an open-cut approach using steel-sheet piles and jet grouting piles for waterproofing was proposed to resolve the problem that ordinary pipe-jacking equipment cannot cross areas with existing anchor cables in soft stratum. The case history of a pipe-jacking project of a sewage treatment plant in the Jinan East Railway Station area was investigated. The mechanical properties of steel-sheet piles, horizontal displacement of piles, and ground surface settlement in the anchor-cable crossing area were investigated based on in situ observations. Numerical investigations were performed using the finite element method (FEM). The effects of existing anchor cables on the mechanical behaviors of retaining structures, deformation variation of the ground, and stability of the excavation were studied. The results indicate that the composite supporting structures of steel-sheet piles and jet grouting piles have a positive effect on waterproofing and deformation control in areas with existing anchor cables. When the steel-sheet pile touched the anchor cable during pile jacking, the compressive stress at the pile cap increased rapidly until it reached 62.8 MPa (the maximum pressure provided by the pile-pressing machine), which is twice the pressure under ordinary conditions. The maximum horizontal displacement of the retaining pile, δv, increased linearly with the excavation depth He. Existing anchor structures behind the excavation can restrain the deformation of the ground and retain the structure to a certain extent. The δv value of the pile with existing anchor structures behind is 6.5 mm or approximately 0.01% of the He value, which is 70% of that of the retaining pile without existing anchor structures. “Groove type” ground surface settlements are found on both sides of the excavation. The maximum ground settlements δh are 0.29% He and 0.05% He, respectively. The plastic zone at both sides of the excavation bottom extends to the ground surface with an angle of about 45°. When an excavation fails, the plastic zone range in the ground with existing anchor cables is significantly larger than it is in the ground without anchor cables. The key contribution of this research is to provide an effective and low-budget treatment for pipe-jacking crossing through an anchor-cable group region. The findings from this study also provide industry practitioners with a comprehensive guide regarding the specific applications and mechanical performance of the crossing excavation for obstacle treatment.

A concept for improving the environment of the railway station area in the city of Spassk-Dalniy

A concept for improving the environment of the railway station area in the city of Spassk-Dalniy

Revitalizing Urban Interfaces through Historical Spaces: An Exemplification from the Renovation of Pukou Railway Station Area, Nanjing, China

This research delves into the significance and methodological approaches concerning the conservation and regeneration of historical facilities and spaces in contemporary urban environments through the lens of the conservation and regeneration project of the Pukou Railway Station Historic District in Nanjing. The study underscores the imperative of respecting, protecting, and revitalizing historical facilities and spaces. The refurbishment of old facilities, employing the most apt technologies and methods, accomplished a commendable balance between economic investment and efficiency. Respecting all historical textures and contexts is foundational to the preservation of the historical appearance of districts. The project, through the refurbishment of historical buildings and cautious design of new constructions, ensured a harmonious coexistence of old and new elements, thereby enhancing the cultural essence of the historical district architecture. The conservation and regeneration project of the Pukou Railway Station Historic District in Nanjing offers a beneficial case on managing historical facilities and spaces, showcasing how, through rational technical measures and respect for historical context, historical spaces can be revitalized, providing rich cultural and spatial resources for modern cities.

The Analysis of Pedestrian Service in Railway Station Area: A Case Tanah Abang Station, Jakarta A Case Tanah Abang Station, Jakarta

Tanah Abang Station is a means of transportation that is in great demand by traders and buyers by passing through the sidewalk, which is currently used to connect pedestrians to move from one place to another. Due to its strategic location and the middle of the city, many visitors pass by the sidewalk near station. This study analyzes the level of service of sidewalk facilities in the Tanah Abang station environment, where the current facilities are whether analysis method used is Index Performance Analysis (IPA) with a value of Satisfaction and Importance of Pedestrian Facilities in the Tanah Abang station area. From the satisfaction and importance comparison table results, an average satisfaction index of 4.14 was obtained, an average interest index of 3.34, and a gap average of -0.76.

FINDING THE CHALLENGES OF PLANNING AN INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR THE TIME OF CRISIS: A CASE OF KHULNA RAILWAY STATION AREA

Khulna railway station is one of the oldest establishments which is situated almost at the heart of Khulna city center, known as the Central Business District (CBD) of Khulna city. To support the growing demand for transport services in the CBD area, the existing three major transport modes (railway, waterway, and roadway) of the railway station area are fully functioning. Though they are situated in the same area for serving the same purposes but work separately. This separate route plan of the three transport modes demands more support services which cause traffic congestion and space scarcity to accommodate heavy weight vehicles like cargo trucks and lorry. The rapid growth of the economy and population of the city demand an upgraded transportation infrastructure. This paper aims to explore the context-specific challenges for planning transportation infrastructure in the CBD and its settlement area. A field survey of the study area, face-to-face interviews of different stakeholders, and questionnaire survey were conducted to gather necessary primary data. Detailed Area plan of Khulna Development Authority (KDA), Khulna City Master plans, newspaper cuttings, journal and conference papers, etc. are analyzed. This paper provides an overview of hazardous conditions of the study area caused by the existing public and freight transportation. Respecting the existing problems and limitations, an integrated transport infrastructure planning guideline has been provided to meet the future transport challenges in the densely populated urban CBD area.

The Determinant Factors of the Public Open Space Activity in Patukan Rail-Station Area, Sleman, Yogyakarta

The phenomenon of public open space activity in Patukan railroad area is a spatial problem related to the behavior of its users. Residents around Patukan railway station use the railroad crossing area as a place to gather, culinary tours and recreation while watching train activities that pass in the afternoon. Activities that occur in the area raise concerns about the security and safety of visitors who are active there considering that the majority of visitors carry out these activities on railroad tracks. PT. Indonesian Railways (KAI) Daop VI Yogyakarta as the manager of Patukan railway station has banned any activity in the area, but the regulation is still not effective enough to prevent people from gathering in that area. This study aims to identify the phenomenon of activity that occurs in the Patukan railway station area and to determine the factors that cause the setting of public open space activities in that area by using a qualitative and quantitative method based on rationalism. Based on the results of the study it is known that there are factors that cause the setting of public open space activities in the area consisting of perception, time, environmental and spatial factors that support activity actors to carry out activities there.

The Possibility of Reorganising Transit-oriented Development

There has been much discussion about the shift to compact cities in the last decade. Transit-oriented development (TOD) has been introduced in many countries to promote compact cities. However, low density occurs with heterogeneous and random spatial patterns. It impedes the creation of people-friendly, sustainable cities, making it challenging to attract the investments necessary to create a compact city’s core. This phenomenon is a serious issue during periods of population decline. Therefore, this paper clarifies the occurrence pattern of low-density districts around railway stations and their related spatial characteristics to understand better how to reorganize transit-oriented urban structures in a society with a declining population. We have observed the population demographic and household demographic change beside railway lines of the Keihanshin conurbation within the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan region, the second-largest urban area in Japan. Our research questions are “Do low-density populations exist in railway station areas?”, and “If yes, are they concentrated at a particular point or dispersed?” The results of our research are as follows; 1. Some railway stations are experiencing low density growth in their surrounding areas. 2. Thirteen patterns of low-density appearance in the station sphere are observed. 3. Stations with low densification disperse, but at a relatively lower ratio in the inter-urban area. 4. There are three primary routes for low density progression. These results will be helpful in future urban planning, including site optimization, and can help attract facilities and mutual support between regions.

Smart Principles for Knowledge-based Urban Development

Cities undergo continuous transformation processes, which have unique characteristic manifestations over time. The changes in many Finnish cities currently focus on the vicinity of railway station areas due to changes in regional structures and rail transport, as well as the densification of city centres. The enthusiasm for this kind of development is also increased by the special features of railway station areas, which seem to provide opportunities for new kinds of local economic and innovation policies. Railway station areas are also favourable locations for the application of various smart city technologies and services. In this article, we analyse the development of Finnish railway station areas as part of a wider continuum of urban development where both economic and innovation policies unify with urban planning. Case studies confirm our outlook of knowledge-based urban development transitioning to a new phase. This provides the prerequisites for interesting connections between railway station areas, the concept of a smart city and open innovation. One of the aims of our article is to bring together various themes that are brought up in smart city discussions and urban planning by introducing new kinds of spatial planning principles, which can be placed in three categories: 1) smart profiling, 2) smart design and 3) smart innovation.

Pseudolite Constellation Optimization for Seamless Train Positioning in GNSS-Challenged Railway Stations

Advantages of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in precise and reliable localization can be exploited to enable low-cost and train-centric railway train control systems by reducing track-side facilities like Balises and track circuits. However, constrained observability of satellite signals in specific railway station areas leads to a great challenge to the continuity and availability of GNSS-based train positioning. The pseudolite (PL) technology has a great potential for seamless localization under GNSS-challenged or even signal-denied environments. In this paper, we consider the optimized solution of pseudolite constellation design for seamless train positioning in railway station environments. An integrated train positioning architecture is presented based on a combined GNSS/PL measurement model. Using the trackmap, the proposed solution firstly establishes a feature point set covering all tracks in the station by extracting key Points-of-interest (POIs) from track database. Based on that, a K-means-enhanced generalized center-guided firefly algorithm (KGFA) is proposed to improve the standard firefly algorithm (FA) for deriving an optimized pseudolite constellation solution. The performance indicator for each candidate pseudolite layout scheme is defined according to the scenario-based GNSS/PL constellation configuration. The capability of the KGFA-enabled solution is validated by comparisons with similar FA methods. Through a case study, performance of the optimized pseudolite constellation and its influence to GNSS/PL-based seamless train positioning have been demonstrated over the involved reference pseudolite layout strategies. It is noteworthy that the proposed solution enables the enhanced inherent capability of the local pseudolite network to achieve seamless train positioning over the conventional GNSS-alone train positioning mode.

Active Layer and Permafrost Investigations Using Geophysical and Geocryological Methods—A Case Study of the Khanovey Area, Near Vorkuta, in the NE European Russian Arctic

Permafrost in the NE European Russian Arctic is suffering from some of the highest degradation rates in the world. The rising mean annual air temperature causes warming permafrost, the increase in the active layer thickness (ALT), and the reduction of the permafrost extent. These phenomena represent a serious risk for infrastructures and human activities. ALT characterization is important to estimate the degree of permafrost degradation. We used a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the ALT distribution in the Khanovey railway station area (close to Vorkuta, Arctic Russia), where thaw subsidence leads to railroad vertical deformations up to 2.5 cm/year. Geocryological surveys, including vegetation analysis and underground temperature measurements, together with the faster and less invasive electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) geophysical method, were used to investigate the frozen/unfrozen ground settings between the railroad and the Vorkuta River. Borehole stratigraphy and landscape microzonation indicated a massive prevalence of clay and silty clay sediments at shallow depths in this area. The complex refractive index method (CRIM) was used to integrate and quantitatively validate the results. The data analysis showed landscape heterogeneity and maximum ALT and permafrost thickness values of about 7 and 50 m, respectively. The active layer was characterized by resistivity values ranging from about 30 to 100 Ωm, whereas the underlying permafrost resistivity exceeded 200 Ωm, up to a maximum of about 10 kΩm. In the active layer, there was a coexistence of frozen and unfrozen unconsolidated sediments, where the ice content estimated using the CRIM ranged from about 0.3 – 0.4 to 0.9. Moreover, the transition zone between the active layer base and the permafrost table, whose resistivity values ranged from 100 to 200 Ωm for this kind of sediments, showed ice contents ranging from 0.9 to 1.0. Taliks were present in some depressions of the study area, characterized by minimum resistivity values lower than 10 Ωm. This thermokarst activity was more active close to the railroad because of the absence of insulating vegetation. This study contributes to better understanding of the spatial variability of cryological conditions, and the result is helpful in addressing engineering solutions for the stability of the railway.

Identification of Urban Functional Areas and Governance Measures Based on Point of Interest Data: A Case Study of the Shenyang Railway Station Area in Shenyang City

Inventory extraction and governance measures in urban land use have become important topics in urban regeneration research. This study aimed to inform design governance in urban regeneration through a point of interest (POI) data-based case study. An approximately 15 km2 rectangular development area was assessed for its characteristics and deficiencies. Frequency density analysis was conducted based on data identification of urban built environments and governance from an integrated planning perspective, using field research, spatial autocorrelation, Getis–Ord Gi* analysis, and SPSS. We (1) applied POI data to assess the frequency ratios of the function types for the 6008 buildings in the study area; (2) analysed layouts of POI densities in hotspots for different formats; and (3) applied an evidence-based approach and overlay analysis to identify the area’s functional morphological zones. Finally, the urban physical and morphological properties were identified and compared with the identification result of the urban functional areas to qualitatively evaluate the differences. Global Moran’s I of the POI density of Retail Business (B11), Restaurants (B13), Hotels (B14), Entertainment and Recreation (B3), and Residential Services (R22) were 0.35, 0.35, 0.06, 0.20, and 0.15, respectively, displaying a significant spatial clustering feature. However, for land types including Administrative Offices (A1), Finance and Insurance (B21), and Other Business Facilities (B29), the p-values between the POI density and the random pattern were 0.23, 0.71, 0.56, respectively, showing no significant difference. Our study provides recommendations for governance and integrated urban redevelopment planning to coordinate and guide further regeneration.