Role Of Roads Research Articles

Mobility and Recovery in Europe: Impact of the Covid-19 Crisis A European Comparative Analysis

Further to a first benchmark study covering new mobility behaviours and their impact on the road infrastructure, carried out by the European Union Road Federation (ERF), the Confederation of International Contractor's Associations (CICA), the French Federation of Public Works (FNTP), the European Construction Industry federation (FIEC) and Routes de France in 2019-2020, the same group published a second study in September 2021.The objective of that second study was to give a picture of the impact of the crisis caused by the pandemic on the mobility and transport sectors in 11 European countries (Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom)The approach was to compare the evolution of mobility before and after the emergence of the health crisis. In addition, it would analyse the way in which European countries have adapted their support for transport infrastructures, further to an analysis of National Recovery and Resilience Plans, based on the European Recovery Plan (“Next Generation EU”).Beyond the main trends observed and their impact on mobility patterns and habits, the group also made recommendations on the role of road in the global mobility framework and the necessary adaptation of the road transport infrastructure.

Environmental control: charting a course for the Navajo reservation through road construction, 1945–1978

This article examines the history of road planning in the decades following the Second World War on the Navajo Nation. Federal highway planners and Navajo residents had conflicting ideas about the role of roads in the Nation's postwar development. The planners’ support for highways near uranium mines undermined efforts towards Navajo self-development and modernization. Federally planned and subsidized highways granted extractive industries control over large portions of the Nation. Those highways locked in a regime of environmental exploitation that caused severe and debilitating public health consequences for Navajo communities.

The causes and effects of indigenous C4 grass expansion into a hyper-diverse fynbos shrubland.

The cool season rainfall at our study site should favour C3 rather than C4 grasses. There are, however, several locations where C4 grasses have become dominant, suggesting that rainfall seasonality is not a constraint on distribution. Here, we explored the limitations on C4 grass distribution in a fynbos shrubland. Using δ13C values of SOM, we determined when these grasses had established. We also looked at the role of roads as conduits for establishment and asked what impact these grasses may have on fynbos species richness. We then conducted a field experiment designed to examine the extent to which soil moisture, nutrient availability, and competition with fynbos for resources influence the establishment and growth of the grasses. Finally using aerial photography, we explored the role of changes in land use on distribution. Our results showed that the establishment is recent, that roads may be acting as conduits, and that with establishment, there is a reduction in fynbos species richness and diversity. Disturbance and removing below-ground competition for resources open the system to establishment in wetter areas. This study is the first to look at the potential for C4 grasses expanding into cool season rainfall shrublands such as in Western Australia and South Africa. What is interesting about these results is that C4 grasses can establish and dominate in a cool season rainfall regime. Rather than temperature of the growing season, it is competition for resources from fynbos that prevents these grasses from encroaching.

Role of Roads on Housing and Health of Fringe of Raipur City, Chhattisgarh: A Comparative Analysis

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that housing is a residential environment for family and individuals which involved as physical structure used for shelter. It is one of the basic human needs after food and clothing. Housing is most essential for civilized existence. The development of housing therefore must enjoy high priority in poor society where facilities and amenities are below the minimum standard. In the fringe of Raipur city most of the selected village’s subordinate (lower level) housing condition because of such villages are closely associated with the low level of socio–economic and cultured lifestyle. In the study area, the quality of houses is medium or low type because low quality materials used for construction and lack of modern planning to frame the building components. Health is the ability of communities or individuals to put down physical, mental or social challenges. It is a complete physical, mental and social well being. The health condition of communities mostly depends on efficient and flourished health care system. In the case of Raipur Fringe health care infrastructure is very poor. There are no any primary health centers in the selected remote villages.

Modelling Pedestrian Crossing Behaviour based on Human Factor

Research on pedestrian crossing behaviour in urban areas is extensive and has contributed to very useful insights into the role of road, traffic and pedestrian characteristics on the crossing decisions of pedestrians, their compliance with traffic rules and the related safety. However, human factors are rarely incorporated in pedestrian crossing behaviour research. The objective of this research is to analyse the development of pedestrian crossing choice models on the basis of road traffic and human factors. For that purpose, a questionnaire was distributed to 663 respondents among pedestrians in the Shah Alam district. The respondents were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their travel motivations, ability characteristics, risk perceptions and preferences with respect to walking and road crossing, as well as their opinion on drivers, etc. From the modelling analysis, the results showed that there is a significant relationship between Human Factor and Crossing Behaviour; there were two components of Human Factor that influenced pedestrian crossing behaviour to emerge, namely a “risk-taker” and a “rule-follower”. Based on ‘path coefficient’ of Human Factor analysis, this study concludes that a ‘risk-taker’ component contributed more to Crossing Behaviour. The findings of this research can be used to evaluate the implementation of new pedestrian crossings and a redesign of existing pedestrian crossing environments.

A comparative study of community perceptions regarding the role of roads as a poverty alleviation strategy in rural areas

Abstract The history of Apartheid in South Africa presented the new democratic South Africa with numerous challenges such as poverty, inequality and inadequate access to basic services. These challenges are more prevalent in rural areas, leading to the need for rural development strategies aimed at poverty alleviation and the empowerment of rural societies. Limited access to social and economic opportunities is a common challenge faced by rural dwellers due to inadequate rural road infrastructure. Empirical evidence suggests that poverty is directly linked to isolation, inaccessibility and poor infrastructural development. Hence, the need for the development of adequate rural roads. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the perceptions of rural communities regarding the role of roads as a poverty alleviation strategy. This study explored the influence of rural roads on the socio-economic conditions of rural communities. In addition, the research examined the impacts associated with inadequate rural road infrastructure on the access needs of rural dwellers. Thus, the study attempts to analyse issues relating to rural road infrastructure and its impact on poverty alleviation. Research was undertaken in two rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal: Ntshaseni and Njane. The study employed a mixed-method approach, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research techniques. The findings from the study revealed that there was a relationship between the presence of adequate rural road infrastructure and improved access to basic services. The research findings revealed that there are differences in socio-economic conditions between a community with better access (Njane community) and a community that is isolated (Ntshasheni community) due to inadequate road infrastructure. In addition, research findings revealed that inadequate road infrastructure is an indication of the insufficient access the poor have to basic services such as healthcare and education.

Through Mountains to the Sea

This article examines the cultural landscapes of Cumbria as they have been formed through literary, environmental, economic and other influences over the last three hundred years. It focuses in particular on the role of roads and other modern incursions in making the region - and West Cumbria, specifically - accessible against what was historically perceived as the natural barrier of the Lake District mountain landscape. The landscapes of the Lake District and the coastal region of West Cumbria are revealed as culturally distinct, yet now forever tied together through the construction of the A66 road.

Anti-Democratic Spaces and Impoverishment: Role of Roads in Low-Income Residential Areas

This article identifies the low-income group as eco-friendly in terms of their favoured transit systems. Despite the group’s eco-friendly and sustainable attributes, they suffer the most in their use of urban spaces, in low-cost housings and in transportation planning, in particular the roads. There is corruption among others who push for road dominance in the infrastructure. There is a call for action in developing the following: greater transparency, democratic approaches, and compact developments with a rich juxtaposition of greenery enhancing pedestrian corridors. Community spaces connecting working areas with the Central Business Districts (CBD) and high densities residencies to be developed are popular and more sustainable options. A pragmatic contextual sensitive approach is demanded. Downsizing road networks within low-income neighbourhoods can empower the poor and their community, while simultaneously mitigating the risk of corruption generated by the development of roads. The problem is global; operational, managerial and strategic in scope with the capacities of enterprising urban poor being wasted in urban-city governance. The recommendations target stopping the conversation of critical government policies into mere rhetoric. Flooding, housing, education, and public health were identified areas for strategic intervention. The Rand study and a review of the DG SANCO EU report was adapted as the approach to this research. ‘Co-petition’ and collaboration among government authorities, built-up professionals, and inclusiveness of targeted population remains imperative; even so, the review of academic curricular and methods towards environmental leadership for sustainability shifts from planning for cities and cars to planning for humans.

Territorialidad, flujos espaciales y modalidades de tránsito yuxtapuestas en la red vial de los Valles Occidentales (siglos X-XX)

La red vial andina constituye un legado cultural que sostuvo un uso continuo desde tiempos prehispánicos hasta la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Esta persistencia temporal convierte al sistema de caminos en archivos materiales e inmateriales de la historia regional, lo que fundamenta la importancia de su estudio desde una perspectiva arqueológica durante las últimas décadas. Investigaciones sobre las prácticas de movilidad en los Andes realizadas a la vera de los caminos del Desierto de Atacama, han revelado un panorama más complejo y dinámico que el inicialmente propuesto desde los modelos teóricos. Reconstruimos y analizamos la estructuración del sistema de caminos y senderos a partir de fotointerpretación de imágenes satelitales, complementada con información cartográfica y etnográfica. Luego evaluamos el rol de los caminos y las prácticas de movilidad para la construcción de la territorialidad indígena y su significación para la comprensión de las dinámicas sociales y las diferentes formas de habitarlo. Concluimos que la red vial se conformó a partir de la confluencia de modalidades de tránsito diversas y multidireccionales, delatando continuidades en el uso del espacio relacionadas con prácticas espaciales que hunden sus raíces en tiempos precoloniales.

Quantitative evaluation of the role of roads in urban drainage and its influencing factors

Quantitative evaluation of the role of roads in urban drainage and its influencing factors

Soft Computing Models to Predict Pavement Roughness: A Comparative Study

Pavement roughness as a critical determinant of public satisfaction can potentially play a major role in road or highway resource allocation to competing pavement resurfacing projects. With this in mind, the aim of the present paper is to develop an accurate model for the prediction of pavement roughness in terms of the International Roughness Index (IRI) using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machines (SVMs). The modeling is based on pavement roughness data collected periodically for a high‐volume motorway during a seven‐year period, on a yearly basis. The comparative study of the developed models concludes that the performance of the ANN model is slightly better compared to the SVM in terms of prediction accuracy. Further, the analysis results produce evidence in support of the statement that both models are capable to predict accurately pavement roughness; hence, they are deemed useful for supporting decision making of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation strategies.

The role of road in the development of rural areas, with emphasis on diversification of economic activities (Case Study: Chavarzagh Dehestan in Tarom County)

The role of road in the development of rural areas, with emphasis on diversification of economic activities (Case Study: Chavarzagh Dehestan in Tarom County)

The influence of age on the take-over of vehicle control in highly automated driving

The growing proportion of older drivers in the population plays an increasingly relevant role in road traffic that is currently awaiting the introduction of automated vehicles. In this study, it was investigated how older drivers (⩾60years) compared to younger drivers (⩽28years) perform in a critical traffic event when driving highly automated. Conditions of the take-over situation were manipulated by adding a verbal non-driving task (20 questions task) and by variation of traffic density. Two age groups consisting of 36 younger and 36 older drivers drove either with or without a non-driving task on a six-lane highway. They encountered three situations with either no, medium or high traffic density where they had to regain vehicle control and evade an obstacle on the road. Older drivers reacted as fast as younger drivers, however, they differed in their modus operandi as they braked more often and more strongly and maintained a higher time-to-collision (TTC). Deterioration of take-over time and quality caused by increased traffic density and engagement in a non-driving task was on the same level for both age groups. Independent of the traffic density, there was a learning effect for both younger and older drivers in a way that the take-over time decreased, minimum TTC increased and maximum lateral acceleration decreased between the first and the last situation of the experiment. Results highlight that older drivers are able to solve critical traffic events as well as younger drivers, yet their modus operandi differs. Nevertheless, both age groups adapt to the experience of take-over situations in the same way.

Влияние эксплуатационных параметров автомобильных дорог на экосистему придорожной полосы

This article examines the role of roads in view of the existing negative impact on the environment. So far, the selection of a rational variant of the road network is focused on traditional techno-economic approach. Therefore, there is need to develop environmental criteria in relation to which the costs will be shown to act as indicators of capacity constraints volumes of material and transport flows.

Struggling to maintain native plant diversity in a peri-urban reserve surrounded by a highly anthropogenic matrix

High human density and land use intensity often coincide with biodiversity hotspots making peri-urban reserves a keystone for conserving natural remnants in a highly anthropogenic matrix. Particularly, intense propagule pressure by alien plant species can pose a threat to native biodiversity. However, little is known about the factors that determine invasibility and the role of roads and other human disturbances for such small protected areas. Within a peri-urban reserve close to the city of Concepcion, south-central Chile, we investigated the influence of different site and landscape characteristics on the richness of native and alien plant species across different habitat (ruderal, road and forest sites) and forest types (native and alien dominated forests). Compared to other protected areas, alien species were frequently found in this reserve indicating the importance of urban areas as source for alien species. Aliens concentrate around disturbed ruderal and road sites, facilitating their spread into the reserve. Natural forest areas are less invaded until now. Within forests alien plant species richness was, however, positively associated to the proximity to disturbed landscapes. Forests dominated by alien tree species within the reserve are not the source for alien species within natural forests, but they negatively affect native species richness by replacing adequate seed sources. In order to prevent a further spread of alien species into peri-urban reserves, large scale anthropogenic disturbances should be minimized, already invaded sites must be monitored and buffer-zones protecting reserves from surrounding land use activities should be established.

The role of roads and urban area in occurrence of an ornamental invasive weed: a case of Rudbeckia laciniata L

Road density and proportion of urban area are considered to be useful indicators of invasion risk from non-native plants. However, the mechanisms behind the relationship between these indicators and establishment of non-native species have rarely been addressed explicitly. To identify these mechanisms, we used a species distribution model (MaxEnt) for an invasive ornamental weed Rudbeckia laciniata using road density and proportion of urban area as explanatory variables, along with soil moisture and solar radiation. Overall model performance is relatively high (AUC = 0.91). Road density explained most R. laciniata occurrence, followed by the proportion of urban area. The occurrence probability of R. laciniata increased monotonically with road density, but the rates of increase constantly fell. The occurrence probability also increased with urban area when the proportion of urban area was small, but started to decrease when the proportion of urban area reached 0.2. Our results suggest that both road density and proportion of urban area are important factors in determining R. laciniata establishment but work differently.

Logging Legacies Affect Insect Pollinator Communities in Southern Appalachian Forests

Many temperate deciduous forests are recovering from past logging, but the effects of logging legacies and environmental gradients on forest insect pollinators have not been well studied. In this study, we asked how pollinator abundance and community composition varied with distance from logging roads and elevation in old (logged >90 years ago) and young (logged 20-40 years ago) southern Appalachian forests. Insect pollinators were sampled at 15 previously logged sites along an elevation gradient at 5 distances from logging roads during summer 2010 and spring 2011 using pan traps. In summer, many pol- linator groups were more abundant in younger forests and closer to logging roads, likely due LQSDUWWRPRUHOLJKWDYDLODELOLW\�DQGDJUHDWHUDEXQGDQFHRI�? RUDOUHVRXUFHVQHDUURDGV��7RWDO� bee abundance was greater near logging roads, but only in younger forests, suggesting that the role of roads in providing nectar and other resources may diminish as forests mature. In spring, many pollinator families were less abundant at mid-distances (2-10 m) from roads compared to road edges (0 m), but abundances were generally the same at 100 m from the road as at road edges. Two important bee families, Apidae and Andrenidae, were strongly associated with high elevations in spring. Our results suggest that logging legacies may provide supplemental resources such as food and nesting sites to insect pollinators during the summer months especially, with the effects of roads often extending at least 100 m into young forests.

Roads, Railroads, and Floodplain Fragmentation Due to Transportation Infrastructure Along Rivers

River floodplains comprise about 7 percent of the land area of the United States and are areas of great biodiversity and ecological productivity, much of which is due to the many connections between terrestrial and aquatic systems in these settings. The flat topography of floodplains, however, means that they are also ideal sites for transportation infrastructure that can disconnect the river from the surrounding landscape. Few studies have examined the role of roads and railroads as components of river system structure and function at landscape scales. In this study, we use geographic information systems (GIS) and easily obtainable data to map the extent of floodplain disconnection caused by transportation infrastructure across two river basins in Washington State. Digital geologic or soils data, along with digital elevation data, provide the extent of total floodplain area, and transportation data define the extent of disconnection. Our results show that 44 percent to 58 percent of the total floodplain area in the three study basins is disconnected by these roads and railroads. Transportation infrastructure disconnected between 17 percent and 64 percent of the floodplain area in the individual study reaches. Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain data often show where floodplains are truncated by infrastructure, particularly by large features or in urban areas, but do not capture the loss of total floodplain area. Relatively simple broad-scale documentation of infrastructure and floodplain disconnection has potential for guiding further study of floodplain fragmentation at multiple scales, providing an impetus for improving infrastructure design and repair and helping inform aquatic and floodplain management activities.

Pasture conversion and competitive cattle rents in the Amazon

The economic incentives for conversion to pasture in Mato Grosso Brazil are investigated using pastureland rents. Pastureland rents are estimated from physical and geographic determinants, and verified by predicting the location of conversion to pasture between 2001 and 2004. Results indicate that a one-hundred dollar increase in mean cattle rent increases the probability of conversion to pasture from 8.6 to 11.1%. The use of economic rent allows the direct study of fiscal policy levers on land conversion behavior, expanding policy discussions beyond the role of roads and road improvement towards the use of excise and conversion taxes, or conservation subsidies.

The role of road and footpath networks in shaping the relief of middle mountains on the example of the Gorce Mountains (Poland)

The role of road and footpath networks in shaping the relief of middle mountains on the example of the Gorce Mountains (Poland)