Road Corridor Research Articles

Road corridors vegetation in the semi-arid region: functional trait diversity and dynamics

Road corridor vegetation plays a vital role in maintaining ecosystem stability and providing essential ecological services, particularly in semi-arid regions where environmental conditions are challenging. In this study, we investigated the functional traits of native and non-native plant species along the N5 highway corridor in the semi-arid region of Punjab, Pakistan. The methodology involved extensive field surveys and systematic sampling of herbaceous vegetation, followed by detailed measurements of functional traits diversity. We classified 38 plant species into native and non-native categories and analyzed their distribution, life forms, leaf spectra, and flowering phenology. Our results revealed distinct patterns in the functional traits of native and non-native species, with non-native species exhibiting larger plant heights, leaf sizes, and leaf surface areas compared to native species. Additionally, native species displayed greater root and stem biomass, indicative of adaptations to nutrient-poor soils and water-limited environments. The findings suggest that non-native species possess traits associated with rapid growth and resource acquisition, enabling them to outcompete native vegetation and establish dominance in roadside ecosystems. These results provide valuable insights for understanding the ecological implications of non-native species and designing effective management strategies to mitigate their impacts on native biodiversity and ecosystem resilience in semi-arid regions.

To cross or not to cross: patterns and predictability of vertebrate roadkill in three road corridors in the department of Cundinamarca, Colombia

Roadkills are among the most important threats to wildlife worldwide. In Colombia, few studies have evaluated the impact or patterns of this threat and many aspects are yet to be evaluated. Bogotá and Cundinamarca are the most populated areas in the country, but no information is available regarding this threat in this area. Here we evaluated the incidence of roadkill in three main road corridors between August 2018 and November 2019, estimating its magnitude, patterns and influencing variables. All roadkill records were collected and characterized spatially, temporally, and taxonomically. We then modeled the effect of landscape variables on roadkill incidence. We surveyed 88 times, covering 12,120 km and obtaining 52 records of 15 species. Mammals were the most affected taxa (67.30 %), followed by reptiles (19.12 %). We identified 38 hotspots. Sinuosity was found to be the most influential variable in the probability of roadkill, with overall probabilities concentrated in the medium risk (60-70 %), and 20 % showing high probabilities (90-100 %). These findings lay the groundwork for long-term monitoring, promoting implementation of measures to reduce the effect of this threat to wildlife in the department.

Dynamics of Cultural Landscape on Idjen Boulevard as an Icon of Heritage Street Corridor in Malang City - Indonesia

The dynamic development of the city has brought about significant physical and environmental changes in Malang City, impacting the increasingly blurred identity of heritage areas. One such area is Idjen Boulevard, representing an icon of the heritage road corridor in Malang City. To comprehend the evolving nature of these heritage areas, it is essential to conduct studies documenting their past conditions and dynamics across various historical periods: the Colonial period, the Old Order period (the beginning of Indonesian independence), the New Order period, and the Reformation period. This comprehensive approach aims to understand the changes that occurred in each time periodization within each zone/road segment. These insights are crucial for determining future development control steps through targeted regulations. The research employs the Interpretive Historical Urban Landscape method, focusing on thirteen components that constitute the Cultural Landscape. This method involves analyzing the results of observations, both from literature and field sources, supported by tools such as CAD Mapper, Google Earth, Google Street View, GISTARU (an interactive urban spatial detail plan), and SketchUp. These tools are instrumental in obtaining findings about the hierarchy of changes in cultural landscape components and the dynamics within each zone of the specified observation unit.

THE SUITABILITY OF ACTIVITIES IN THE TRADE SUB-ZONE (THE CORRIDOR OF LETDA SUJONO ROAD, MEDAN TEMBUNG SUB-DISTRICT, MEDAN CITY)

The development of population and infrastructure in cities can enhance the local economy, as seen in the Letda Sujono Road corridor. This area, located between Medan City and Deli Serdang Regency and near the Bandar Selamat Toll Gate, has seen significant growth in trade and service activities. This growth has spurred the development of housing, public services, commercial spaces, warehousing, and industry, increased land demand and causing potential land-use conflicts and traffic issues. Inappropriate space utilization can lead to urban sprawl, often due to inadequate spatial planning control. The Medan City Detailed Spatial Plan (DSP or Rencana Detail Tata Ruang (RDTR)) designates the Letda Sujono Road corridor as a Trade Sub-zone, with zoning regulations limiting some activities to 10% of the block area. Aims: The objective of this study was to study the suitability of existing activities with the zoning plan which has been regulated in the Medan City Detailed Spatial Plan as a space control content in order to create safe, comfortable and sustainable spatial planning. Methodology and results: This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with spatial analysis to assess the alignment of current activities with the DSP zoning plan. Conclusion, significance and impact study: The findings reveal that 60.84% of the activities are suitable, while 39.16% are not. Some blocks, particularly Block 17-07-01 (Tembung), have exceeded the 10% activity limit, indicating that zoning plans have not been fully realized, with unauthorized activities such as integrated schools and vehicle-related services still present.

Impact of road corridors on soil properties and plant communities in high-elevation fragile ecosystems

Impact of road corridors on soil properties and plant communities in high-elevation fragile ecosystems

The Influence of Horses and Grass on the Formation and Development of Core Cities on the Silk Road

The Silk Road has long attracted researchers from various fields, sparking their interest in ancient cities and the ancient route that connected civilizations. However, the role of horses and grass in the development of the Silk Road has been relatively understudied. This essay presents a novel perspective, revealing the significance of horses and grass in shaping the growth of nomadic cultures and their profound impact on the formation and development of cities along the Silk Road. Through an examination of Persepolis and Samarkand, this paper analyzes the intricate relationship between horses, grass, and the Silk Road. As a means of transportation, horses' agility and endurance allowed merchants and travelers to traverse vast distances, connecting civilizations and promoting economic and cultural exchanges. The abundant grasslands along the Silk Road corridor shaped the way of life and livelihood of nomadic tribes, providing sustenance for their horses. Nomadic tribes acted as intermediaries, facilitating trade between settled civilizations. This facilitated the establishment of trade routes and the emergence of prosperous urban centers. Therefore, the symbiotic relationship between horses, grass, and nomadic tribes played a crucial role in the development and prosperity of the Silk Road.

Noise barriers as a mitigation measure for highway traffic noise: Empirical evidence from three study cases

Noise barriers are path interventions between noise sources and human receivers used mainly along road corridors to improve the acoustic environment for affected residents. Despite their widespread use, the impact of these interventions on community perception is still insufficiently investigated. This paper presents findings from a longitudinal study evaluating the efficacy of noise barriers in three residential areas alongside highways, compared to a reference case in a relatively quiet area. Noise exposure was objectively quantified via acoustic measurements and noise modelling, while socio-acoustic surveys measured the residents' subjective response in terms of noise annoyance as well as other aspects of quality of life. While noise exposure (Lday) decreased on average by 4.4–11.7 dBA at near-barrier points, direct reductions in pre to post-intervention noise annoyance were observed only in one case. Additionally, only in this particular case were the appraisals of the acoustic environment restored to a condition similar to low-level noise emissions (reference case). Contextual factors potentially downgrading the interventions' effectiveness are discussed, such as the history of complaints and coping, mistrust towards road authorities, high expectations, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While noise exposure reductions did not directly lead to noise annoyance decreases, an ordinal regression pooling all cases revealed that larger reductions in noise exposure were associated with a higher likelihood of residents reporting decreased traffic noise annoyance in the post-survey. No evidence was found regarding noise barriers’ impact on the subjective assessment of other aspects of quality of life, such as health complaints, concentration disturbance, and sleep quality.

Road Corridors as Real Estate Frontiers: The New Urban Geographies of Rentier Capitalism in Africa

AbstractThis paper draws on research on infrastructure‐led development and urbanisation in Nairobi to explore the new urban geographies of rentier capitalism in Africa. Under the banner of Kenya's Vision 2030 national development strategy, Nairobi's agrarian hinterlands have been transformed by major road building projects. These initiatives have catalysed a peri‐urban property boom characterised by the conversion of agricultural and ranching land into urban real estate and the verticalisation of road corridors. The paper identifies four processes of land transformation driving this real estate market expansion: commodification; speculation; autoconstruction; and assetisation. Adopting a multi‐scalar conjunctural approach, it argues that rentier capitalism in this context is spatialised through the dramatic extension of real estate frontiers along the route of peri‐urban road corridors. Development along these corridors assumes a “grey” character that defies conventional formal–informal distinctions, enabling the extraction of large rentier profits and encouraging the further proliferation of frontier spaces.

Influence of Socio-Economic Factors on Performance of Road Construction Projects: A Case of Berbera Corridor Road Section between Hargeisa and Berbera

Road projects play a very significant role in post conflict rehabilitation and consolidation of peace and economic stability, growth and development of communities. The Berbera corrido is one of the multimillion projects relevant and important to research. It promotes connectivity of areas internally and across the borders. The study aimed to assess the economic performance of road construction projects on the Berbera Corridor road section between Hargeisa and Berbera, taking into account the socio-economic factors that influenced the performance of these projects. The objectives of the study were; to find out the socio-economic impact of the Berbera-Hargeisa; the socio economic factors that influenced the performance of the Berbera road development project; to assess the best practices used by the Berbera road development contractors between Hargeisa and Berbera. The key questions answered are the socioeconomic impacts of road development in the Berbera Corridor road section between Hargeisa and Berbera the socio-economic factors driving performance of road construction projects in the region as well as best practices used on road development of the Berbera Corridor road section between Hargeisa and Berbera. The study focused on communities traversed by Berbera Corridor, road section of Berbera and Hargeisa cities. Responses were also elicited from the project team, the ministry of public works and road Construction agency of Somaliland and Dubai Port World staff for their oversight and funding of the road project. The theories and models that informed the study were; the best value procurement model and Project logic. Findings revealed that effectiveness, efficiency and impact created by the Berbera road section between the port and the capital city. Social influence on health and environment safety and accidents increased in the short run. However, the economic measures and controls used led to completion of the road and reduced the travel time. Accidents reduced though after the road completed despite people not following the user precautions. Significantly, factors such as price, quality of staff, cultural issues, economic benefits and value anticipated by communities and implementers enabled performance of projects in regard to finish time, reduced accidents and business activities.

GIS-based statistical analysis for landslide susceptibility evaluation and zonation mapping: A case from Blue Nile Gorge, Gohatsion-Dejen road corridor, Central Ethiopia

Globally, landslides in mountainous regions are considered to be major geo-hazards which are frequent, intensive and devastating that result in extensive destruction to people's lives, land, property and other infrastructure. To mitigate landslide-associated risks, identification, evaluation, and delineation of susceptible areas is essential for proper strategic planning and management. The present study was conducted in Blue Nile Gorge in the highlands of Central Ethiopia, about 185 km from Addis-Ababa, along the Gohatsion-Dejen road corridor. Landslides are frequently reported in the study area, particularly during the rainy season. The objective of the present study was to evaluate landslide susceptibility and to prepare a landslide susceptibility zoning (LSZ) map. For this purpose a statistical information value (IV) model was used that took into account various factors including slope material, elevation, slope, aspect, land-use and land-cover, proximity to the road, and proximity to streams. Each of these factors was classified based on different conditions like landslide concentration, topography, geology, and land-use and land-cover types. The landslide inventory mapping was conducted through field observations and Google Earth image interpretation. Later, the influence of each causative factor on past landslides was used to calculate their respective IVs. The statistical IVs were further used to evaluate the landslide susceptibility. The LSZ map produced from this study shows that 22.3 % of the study area falls into a very high susceptibility zone, 23.1 % into a high, 18.8 % in moderate, 23.1 % into a low, and the remaining 12.8 % into a low susceptibility zone. The LSZ map was validated using the Receiver Operating Characteristics Curve (ROC), landslide density index (LDI), and past landslide data. All validation methods showed acceptable results. The prepared LSZ map can be used for safe land-use planning of the area.

Evaluating pedestrian facilities for enhancing pedestrian safety in Addis Ababa city

Transport demand has been increasing in most third-world countries. However, poorly maintained facilities and poor planning exposed pedestrians to high-traffic accidents. This paper aims to evaluate pedestrian facilities using the pedestrian level of service to enhance pedestrian safety in Addis Ababa. Relevant data was collected through field measurement and direct observation from 13 purposively identified pedestrian sites across the Piyasa to Bole bridge and Megenagna to Torihayloch road corridors. Pedestrian level of service derivation considered capacity, traffic, comfort, safety, and security conditions and their sub-components. The weight of each criterion and sub-factor was decided according to the Saaty scale using the judgment of experts under the analytical hierarchical process. The result of the study strongly stipulates the presence of the problem of pedestrian facilities in Megenagna, Mexico, Urael Church, and Golagol which can affect the level of pedestrian safety. However, Denibel City, Legahare, Torhayloch, and National Theater sites have scored better Pedestrian level of service for the walking population. Finally, the study recommended the requirement of prior attention for the sites with very poor and poor pedestrian levels of service by the concerned sectors.

Optimizing Landslide Susceptibility Model Using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Approach in Sawla-Laska Road Corridor and Surroundings, Southwest Ethiopia

Natural disasters such as landslides have potential to jeopardize human life and seriously harm ecosystems. Ethiopia is among the countries most susceptible to landslides because of its mountainous terrain, strong and sustained rainfall, and dense development near steep hillsides. This study aimed to produce a landslide susceptibility map for the Sawla-Laska road corridor and its surroundings in Ethiopia using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. The QGIS model builder module was used to intersect 195 landslide polygons and 12 thematic raster pixels for the topographic, hydrological, proximity, geological, and environmental elements. The Generalized Weight (GW) results revealed strong correlations between proximity variables, slope, plane curvature, humicalisols, agricultural areas, settlements, scant vegetation, and barren terrain. In contrast, other factors exhibited negative and neutral interactions. The Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve showed acceptable results. The accuracy of the model ranges from 88% to 94%. Data were assorted into low, medium, and highly vulnerable zones representing 183.85 (75%), 14.55 (6%), and 47.6 (19.34%). The model performances demonstrate that the model can accurately predict the current situation in the future. Therefore, adequate land-use planning and environmental protection should be implemented based on the findings of this study and landslide susceptibility map.

Desain Koridor Jalan Prof. Dr. Ing. B. J. Habibie. Iloheluma sebagai Kawasan Wisata dan Pusat Kuliner Bone Bolango

This report discusses effective and efficient road corridor design in improving the quality of the city and the quality of life of the people on Jalan Prof. Dr. Eng. B. J. Habibie. Iloheluma, District. Bone Bolango. The implementation of this service focuses on the analysis and design of road corridors that meet the needs of each individual and improve the quality of the city. This service uses a livable streets approach which can be taken into consideration in creating a road corridor design that is comfortable and safe for all user activities. The case study location is a culinary area that grows informally. Along the road corridor there are dozens of street vendors who take advantage of the location's beautiful natural views so that they can attract visitors to stop by and have a snack. Based on the results of observations in the field, road corridors were arranged by considering streetscape elements related to road corridor design, such as services and infrastructure, traffic calming, sidewalks, land use, building shape and mass, circulation and parking, open space, pedestrians, supporting activities, advertising boards and preservation.

Behaviours of moose at roadside mineral licks in British Columbia: Implications for moose-vehicle collisions

Moose (Alces americanus) visit roadside mineral licks (RMLs; areas of roadside ditches where de-icing salts accumulate in spring) to obtain minerals that may be otherwise lacking in their diet. When moose use road corridors to access salts, they become hazards to motorists. Moose use of RMLs is dependent on season and time of day, but specific patterns of use and associated behaviours that may influence moose-vehicle collision risk are unknown. We used video-enabled camera traps, analysis of variance, and generalized additive mixed models to record, review, interpret, classify, and analyze the behaviours of adult moose between July 2012—July 2020 at five RMLs in north-central British Columbia. Monthly visitation rates to RMLs peaked in mid-summer which corresponds with the summer peak in moose-vehicle collisions in the study area. Bi-hourly visitation rates peaked at night. Vigilance and licking were the most common of many behaviours recorded. Cows with young spent the most time at RMLs, followed by bulls, then solitary cows. Proportion of time spent being vigilant peaked in May, licking peaked in June. Time spent licking was highest for bulls, followed by cows with young, then solitary cows. Research into complex and interacting factors such as traffic volume and flow, driver visibility and awareness of moose, and various methods for de-icing roads is further required to determine robust means of mitigating the risk of moose-vehicle collisions associated with RMLs.

Economic Analysis of High-Speed Railways: A Holistic Methodological Approach

The most controversial issue regarding a high- speed railway investment is the huge capital cost, and the main question is whether its benefits will be worth the huge investment costs. High-speed railways have long planning processes and face great risks. Therefore, a holistic approach has been required under conditions of uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to unify the methods for determining the huge rail investment costs. This paper investigated the economic analysis of high- speed railways as a part of a new silk iron road corridor, in terms of both passenger and freight railway transport between Europe and Asia. In this context, a benefit-cost evaluation of the Ankara-Sivas high-speed railway as a part of the backbone railway line of Turkey's Edirne- Kars high-speed railway corridor has been carried out. A holistic methodological method is presented for evaluating the benefit-cost analysis of both high-speed and freight railways. The economic analysis results show that in cross-continental countries, network effects must be taken into consideration when evaluating the high- speed railway's benefit-cost analysis.

Understanding China’s Grand Strategy Through the Belt and Road Initiative

China’s transition from a country striving for self-reliance in the 1950s to the world’s dominant power in 2020 is remarkable. The economic and foreign policies it followed during various phases of development helped the country to achieve the targets and goals that it set up for itself. The ambitious Belt and Road Initiative by President Xi Jinping to rebuild old Silk routes and to build new connectivity projects containing road, rail and sea transport corridors include in China’s Grand Strategy. That is to achieve self-sufficiency of up to 70% in advanced technology sectors by 2025 and to reach a preeminent position in the world by 2049. This includes protecting security interests as well as the flow of energy resources required for a steady progress. The article provides an overview of China’s progress and plans from Mao’s regime to Xi Jinping’s presidentship. In the process, it explains China’s changed priorities, interests and how foreign policy also changed according to the changing economic policies.

KONSEP KORIDOR KAMPUS PARANGTAMBUNG UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MAKASSAR

A corridor can be defined as a space in the form of a plaza, road, or long corridor formed by a series of trees or buildings, serving to connect one area to another. The nature of the corridor, both directly and indirectly, reflects the physical quality of the surrounding environment. This space is not merely a transportation route or circulation but also creates a residual space that plays a crucial role in meeting the circulation needs of building units. Corridors have characteristics that distinguish them from other areas in an environment. With a series of trees or buildings forming it, the corridor creates a unique atmosphere and can provide a distinctive visual experience for users. Whether in the midst of a densely populated urban area or in rural areas, the corridor becomes a crucial element in shaping the overall structure of the environment. The function of the corridor is not limited to aesthetic aspects but also plays a vital role in facilitating circulation between building units. As a connecting route, the corridor provides the necessary accessibility for the residents or users of the environment. Therefore, the planning and design of the corridor must consider practical and aesthetic needs to achieve an optimal balance. When the corridor is well-designed, it can be beneficial for environmental sustainability. Trees growing along the corridor not only enhance visual beauty but also provide ecological benefits such as carbon dioxide absorption and the provision of habitat for local flora and fauna. Thus, the corridor is not only a transportation route but also an integral part of the larger environmental ecosystem.

Pedestrian Priorities

This article explores the contemporary shift in urban studies towards prioritizing walkable neighborhoods amidst growing concerns about urban sprawl and its environmental impacts. Focusing on Persiaran Bestari in Shah Alam, Malaysia, the research aims to address the lack of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and the consequent reliance on vehicular transport in residential areas. This research utilizes a mixed-method approach incorporating quantitative and qualitative methodologies, combining space syntax analysis and behavioral mapping to examine pedestrian movement within the study area. The data collection involves gathering pedestrian infrastructure data through field surveys and pedestrian volume surveys. As the result, behavioral mapping observations revealed varying pedestrian activity levels along different road corridors, with significant pedestrian traffic concentrated around residential zones. Utilizing space syntax analysis, the research detected that Persiaran Bestari and Permai experienced the highest levels of social and commercial activity, indicating higher resident density in these areas. This research highlights the correlation between pedestrian comfort and safety and the availability of pedestrian infrastructure. It reveals that inadequate infrastructure leads to poor walkability, prompting pedestrians to favor safer routes, such as neighborhood or local roads with reduced and slower vehicle traffic.

Interspecific interactions disrupted by roads.

Roads have pervasive impacts on wildlife, including habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality, habitat pollution and increased human use of habitats surrounding them. However, the effects of roads on interspecific interactions are less understood. Here we provide a synthesis of the existing literature on how species interactions may be disrupted by roads, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest avenues for future research and conservation management. We conducted a systematic search using the Web of Science database for each species interaction (predation, competition, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism and amensalism). These searches yielded 2144 articles, of which 195 were relevant to our topic. Most of these studies focused on predation (50%) or competition (24%), and less frequently on mutualism (17%) or, parasitism (9%). We found no studies on commensalism or amensalism. Studies were biased towards mammals from high-income countries, with most conducted in the USA (34%) or Canada (18%). Our literature review identified several patterns. First, roads disrupt predator-prey relationships, usually with negative impacts on prey populations. Second, new disturbed habitats created in road corridors often benefit more competitive species, such as invasive species, although some native or endangered species can also thrive there. Third, roads degrade mutualistic interactions like seed dispersal and pollination. Fourth, roads can increase parasitism rates, although the intensity of the alteration is species specific. To reduce the negative impacts of roads on interspecific interactions, we suggest the following management actions: (i) verges should be as wide and heterogenous as possible, as this increases microhabitat diversity, thus enhancing ecosystem services like pollination and seed dispersal; (ii) combining different mowing regimes can increase the complexity of the habitat corridor, enabling it to act as a habitat for more species; (iii) the use of de-icing salts should be gradually reduced and replaced with less harmful products or maintenance practices; (iv) wildlife passes should be implemented in groups to reduce animal concentrations inside them; (v) periodic removal of carcasses from the road to reduce the use of this resource by wildlife; and (vi) implementation of traffic-calming schemes could enhance interspecific interactions like pollination and avoid disruption of predator-prey relationships.

Structuring the WR Soepratman Street Corridor in the Context of Locality

The road corridor of WR Soepratman Street in Bengkulu City is located within the education, trade and service sectors. These sectors have cultures that contrast with each other. These cultural differences are certainly not favorable in terms of functionality. People in the education sector really need the trade and service sector to support educational contributions. Meanwhile, trade and services need the education sector to improve the economy. Education cannot be separated from culture, even the quality of education is a measure of a nation's culture. Trade and services are actually fulfilled by educated people. Based on the research, there is an intersection of the two sectors in a commercial and cultural frame, without changing the functions that have been formed by maximizing the combination of the two sector functions and blurring the existing gaps.