Road Space Research Articles

Health Perspectives on the Impact of Historic Neighborhood Street Environments on Children’s Activities

As street space is the most accessible outdoor area for kids, safeguarding their rights and interests on the streets is paramount for fostering kid-friendly communities. However, due to the absence of public space and inadequate security, the streets in historic neighborhoods are unsuitable for kids’ activities. To uncover the crucial influence of the street environment on children’s physical activity and Body Mass Index (BMI) health, we conducted a questionnaire survey for children aged 6–12 residing in the Xi’an Ming Dynasty City Wall Historical and Cultural Neighborhood (XMDN) and collected 343 valid responses. The analysis delved into children’s BMI statuses, their willingness to engage in street activities (WAS), the frequency (AF), duration (AD), and types (AT) of these activities, as well as their satisfaction with the street environment (SE). Using binary logit and linear regression models, we specifically examined the relationships between children’s BMI health, WAS, AT, AF, AD, and SE satisfaction. The key findings emphasize children’s inherent desire to be active on the streets. Based on the research findings, we suggest reducing traffic speed and widening sidewalks to make children’s street activities safer, optimizing street greening to improve the comfort of children’s activities, and enriching commercial activities on the street to create a fun atmosphere. These measures will collectively increase the duration and frequency of their outdoor activities and contribute to the overall improvement of children’s health and well-being.

Research on Urban Street Spatial Quality Based on Street View Image Segmentation

Assessing the quality of urban street space can provide suggestions for urban planning and construction management. Big data collection and machine learning provide more efficient evaluation methods than traditional survey methods. This study intended to quantify the urban street spatial quality based on street view image segmentation. A case study was conducted in the Second Ring Road of Changsha City, China. Firstly, the road network information was obtained through OpenStreetMap, and the longitude and latitude of the observation points were obtained using ArcGIS 10.2 software. Then, corresponding street view images of the observation points were obtained from Baidu Maps, and a semantic segmentation software was used to obtain the pixel occupancy ratio of 150 land cover categories in each image. This study selected six evaluation indicators to assess the street space quality, including the sky visibility index, green visual index, interface enclosure index, public–facility convenience index, traffic recognition, and motorization degree. Through statistical analysis of objects related to each evaluation indicator, scores of each evaluation indicator for observation points were obtained. The scores of each indicator are mapped onto the map in ArcGIS for data visualization and analysis. The final value of street space quality was obtained by weighing each indicator score according to the selected weight, achieving qualitative research on street space quality. The results showed that the street space quality in the downtown area of Changsha is relatively high. Still, the level of green visual index, interface enclosure, public–facility convenience index, and motorization degree is relatively low. In the commercial area east of the river, improvements are needed in pedestrian perception. In other areas, enhancements are required in community public facilities and traffic signage.

From ‘pop-up’ to permanent: Temporary urbanism as an emerging mode of strategic open-space planning

Pop-up parks have emerged alongside other forms of temporary urbanism as low-cost, informal, community-engaged interventions that address pressing community needs. This article examines four pop-up parks in Australian cities (Melbourne, Sydney and Perth) that reappropriated street space for pedestrians and eventually became permanent. The article charts the developmental trajectories of these four projects, drawing on local planning documents, interviews with key actors, and government and media reports on how the pop-up parks performed. It uses mapping to analyse the context of built form, activity and movement flows in and around the four sites. The study shows how these pop-up trials served as a ‘proof of concept’ for permanent spaces, tested their impacts, made community consultation more open, engaging and tangible, and increased community support. These originally temporary spaces also facilitated wider strategic urban development outcomes, emboldening local governments to further improve public space in urban intensification areas.

Enhancing mutual understanding of e-scooter user’s perspective in overtaking maneuver through replaying own driving trajectory

The global adoption of e-scooters as a convenient mode of micro-mobility transportation is on the rise, offering a flexible solution for covering first- and last-mile journeys. However, this surge in usage brings challenges, particularly concerning road safety, as e-scooter riders often share road space with other vehicles, heightening the risk of serious accidents. While numerous studies have explored safe overtaking behaviors and safety perceptions from drivers’ viewpoints, limited attention has been given to understanding the varying safety perceptions of both drivers and e-scooter riders, particularly after riding an e-scooter and being overtaken by their own vehicles. This research aims to bridge this gap by examining variations in safety perceptions and assessing behavioral changes before and after experiencing overtaking scenarios. Specifically, the study focuses on scenarios where an e-scooter rider experiences being overtaken by a vehicle they had previously driven. A Unity-based sequential simulation process is employed to replay scenarios obtained from a vehicle simulator during an e-scooter experiment involving the same participant without their awareness. This innovative approach allows e-scooter rider participants to relive their own prior vehicle overtaking maneuvers while riding an e-scooter. The findings reveal that most participants (64%) felt less safe as e-scooter riders, influenced by factors like relative speed and acceleration of overtaking vehicles. After experiencing being overtaken by their own pre-driven vehicles, a noteworthy positive correlation emerged between safety perception and lateral distance, indicating that greater distance is derived from a better understanding of e-scooter safety. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the sequential simulation strategy in fostering safe driving behavior and raising road safety awareness. Experiencing overtaking behaviors firsthand as an e-scooter rider, previously behind the wheel of the overtaking vehicle, encourages a heightened awareness of road safety. These findings have significant implications for road safety authorities, suggesting the potential application of this approach in driver education programs. By incorporating such interventions tailored to improve the safety of vulnerable road users, authorities can take proactive steps towards mitigating risks associated with micro-mobility transportation.

Urban Canyon Design with Aspect Ratio and Street Tree Placement for Enhanced Thermal Comfort: A Comprehensive Thermal Comfort Assessment Accounting for Gender and Age in Seoul, Republic of Korea

Rapid urbanization and increased human activity have negatively impacted the microclimate of cities, leading to unfavorable conditions for human thermal comfort, particularly in outdoor spaces. Thermal comfort can be improved through various means, such as adjusting the height of urban buildings, the aspect ratio of road widths, and the placement of street trees. This study employed the ENVI-met software V5.5.1 to simulate the microclimate based on aspect ratio (H/W = 1.5) and street tree spacing (6 m) similar to actual conditions with different aspect ratios (H/W = 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0) and street tree spacing (2 m) in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Thermal comfort was assessed through a comprehensive predicted mean vote (PMV) evaluation, considering the gender (male and female) and age (8, 35, and 80 years) of residents in the target area, to determine the optimal urban canyon scenario. The results of the study indicated that the height of the building and the percentage of trees had a significant impact on the temperature and PMV results. When comparing PMV results, women have higher thermal vulnerability than men, and based on age, older adults have higher thermal vulnerability. The aspect ratio of 1.5 and tree spacing of 2 m resulted in the lowest temperature of 35.91 °C at 12:00 p.m. at 0° wind direction and 36.09 °C at 90° wind direction, lower than the actual input value of 36.9 °C. The PMV values were also under the same conditions, with an average PMV by gender of 3.87 at 0° and 4.21 at 90° and an average PMV by age of 3.86 at 0° and 4.19 at 90°. This finding is significant because it can inform the development of planned cities that prioritize urban thermal comfort during summer. This can be achieved through the strategic design of urban canyons and incorporation of street trees in both new and existing cities.

COVID Street Cafés: Assessing Policy Windows in Five North American Cities

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Cities experimented with street design to address health and economic impacts of the COVID pandemic between 2020 and 2023. Scholars have suggested that COVID represented a window of opportunity to transform aspects of urban planning, but the degree to which emergency interventions portend longer-term changes requires study. This study focused on street cafés as one of the more significant COVID-era street transformations. Street cafés are allocations of space in the cartway for outdoor dining. They introduce a social use to street space while increasing the complexity of managing street space. To assess the idea that the COVID crisis was a window of opportunity, we conducted a comparative case study of COVID street café programs in five North American cities. We drew on 16 interviews and analysis of policy documents to examine how street café programs were implemented, how they adapted existing policy and institutions, and whether their implementation represented a policy punctuation. Despite common objectives, implementing COVID street café programs played out differently in each case city. Urban form, existing policy, administration of emergency programs, and café design and experimentation all affected outcomes. These COVID-era programs led to one city initiating a new street café program; in two other cities, they accelerated implementation of recent policy initiatives, and the experience in the final two cities was ambiguous. Takeaway for practice: This research highlights the importance of recently adopted street policy in shaping emergency response. Although installation of COVID street cafés was widespread, planners will have to renegotiate emergency actions taken to lessen regulatory, administrative, and financial hurdles to café implementation to sustain viable street café programs in the long run.

Evaluation of Traffic Sign Occlusion Rate Based on a 3D Point Cloud Space

The effectiveness of road signs is hindered by obstructions, such as vegetation, mutual obstruction of signs, or the road alignment itself. The traditional evaluation of road sign recognition effectiveness is conducted through in-vehicle field surveys. However, this method has several drawbacks, including discontinuous identification, unclear positioning, incomplete coverage, and being time-consuming. Consequently, it is unable to effectively assess the recognition status of road signs at any arbitrary point within the road space. Therefore, this study employed laser scanning to construct a point-surface model, which was based on a point cloud algorithm and SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), integrated LiDAR and inertial navigation system data, and optimized the point model after processing steps such as denoising, resampling, and three-dimensional model construction. Furthermore, a method for assessing the highway sign occlusion rate based on the picking algorithm was proposed. The algorithm was applied to an actual road environment, and the occlusion by other items was simulated. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the method. This new method provides support for the fast and accurate calculation of road sign occlusion rates, which is of great importance for ensuring the safe traveling of vehicles.

Measuring Traffic Speed Change After the Reallocation of Road Space for Cycling: A Data-Driven Analysis for Bogotá

In recent years, many local authorities have sought to accommodate cycling and active transportation in urban areas by creating dedicated spaces for them. However, densely populated cities face a land shortage, making it challenging to introduce measures such as bike lanes without impacting existing road users. Therefore, understanding the potential impacts of these initiatives is essential for informed decision-making, effective policy formulation, and successful urban planning strategies. In 2020, Bogotá, Colombia introduced extensive bike lanes along important corridors previously exclusively designated for motorized vehicles. The modifications were made possible in response to the unique context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study is to provide a data-driven assessment of the impacts of some of the implemented bike lanes by utilizing traffic speed data from 2019 (prior to the lane modifications) and 2021 (after the modifications). Rigorous statistical analysis and modeling were employed to measure the changes on speed levels of road traffic, on both, the treatment group with modified roads as well as on the control group with non-modified roads within the study area. Due to the intricate factors influencing traffic speeds, spatial relationships between road segments and estimation errors were explicitly accounted for. Findings revealed a maximum speed reduction of 4.5 km/h (equivalent to a 19 % decrease), for users on modified roads. Apart from quantifying the worsened speed conditions because of the reduced road space on treated segments, results also highlight that certain parallel road segments experienced an increase in speed levels. This observation lends support to the intervention and emphasizes the importance of comprehensively assessing the entire road network when considering the implementation of bike lane projects in similar context cities.

Exploring Characteristics and Patterns of In Situ Space Morphology: Perspective of the Historical and Cultural Canal Settlement

During the development and evolution of settlements, space morphology created unique local cultural features and played an important role in guiding rural planning in the context of new-type urban development. The in situ characteristics of the space morphology of the ancient historical and cultural towns along the Grand Canal of China reflect the prints of the local culture and history over thousands of years and integrate modern life and the cultural memories of the citizens there. Using Yangliuqing Town, a famous historical and cultural town, as an example, this study quantitatively analyzes the in situ characteristics of the space morphology. It applies the UAV 3D model, POI data, actual site measurements, and other data to establish detailed models of the streets and lanes, quantifies the in situ characteristics of the space morphology of the streets and lanes in terms of space organizational characteristics and VGA manifestation, analyzes the influencing factors of the characteristics of in situ space morphology, and proposes guidelines for renewing ancient towns according to the in situ characteristics of space morphology. The research results indicate that ① multidimensional factors influencing the historical development of the research area have been clarified for the three aspects of its status as a canal transport hub, canal settlement industries, and traditional residential courtyards in ancient towns; ② the in situ space morphology of the streets in Yangliuqing Town is reflected in three aspects such as the core guiding and control of historical and cultural resources, the inherent influence of space element layout, and the attractiveness of street space; ③ it extracts the guidelines for the renewal of the ancient towns in terms of the space morphology strategy, the environmental element strategy, the interface attribute strategy, and the business attribute strategy. The research methods and conclusions boast great significance for clarifying the characteristics of the space morphology of the ancient towns along the Grand Canal and improving the practice of preservation there.

The street space planning and design of artificial intelligence-assisted deep learning neural network in the Internet of Things

This study begins by discussing Internet of Things (IoT) technology and analyzing the classification of street space into four types, along with the Green Looking Ratio (GLR). Following this, the Fully Convolutional Network (FCN)-8s framework is employed to construct a street view image semantic segmentation model based on FCN principles. Subsequently, IoT technology is utilized to analyze the proportion of GLR and satisfaction in the street space within the historical urban area of T City. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation (significance level p < 0.05, R2 = 0.919) between the GLR satisfaction score of street view images and the average GLR of the area. Among the four types of street space—life leisure, historical streets, traffic areas, and landscape-style streets—the dissatisfaction rates with GLR are 35 %, 33 %, 20 %, and 18 %, respectively, correlating with varying GLR satisfaction levels. To enhance street space greening, planting ponds and boxes are proposed for "blind spots” and "dead corners,” thereby completing greenery in these areas. These initiatives aim to improve street greening policies, integrate street function zones, and advance the scientific greening of urban streets. The analysis of GLR and satisfaction in street spaces provides valuable insights for refining urban street space greening efforts.

A Study on Street Tree Planting Strategy in Pingtan Island Based on Road Wind Environment Simulation

In this paper, the landscape of typical roadway trees and their planting parameters on Pingtan Island are investigated and analyzed in the field. A three-dimensional model of street trees was created using AutoCAD 2020, and Ansys Fluent 2022 was used to simulate the wind condition of trees with various planting parameters under high wind circumstances. The study explores the stress and adaptability of roadway trees in the wind environment under different planting parameters, such as different heights, plant spacing, lower shrub heights, and two-row and three-row planting with different row spacings. The results show that the wind resistance of street trees is connected to the planting parameters and that modifying the appropriate planting parameters can improve the wind stability of road green space. The height of street trees is more suitable between 6.0~9.0 m. The planting spacing should be not less than 1.0 times the crown and not more than 1.75 times the crown. The form of planting has an important effect on wind resistance. Two rows of planting of street trees have a better utility and wind resistance, and a row spacing of 2.0~6.0 m is more appropriate. The height of the lower shrubs should be lower than the height of the first branch, with 0.5~1.0 m being more suitable. Based on the results of the data simulation and analysis, this paper proposes corresponding tree species selections and planting strategies for road green belts on Pingtan Island from the perspective of street tree species, planting parameters, and planting forms to provide references for the upgrading and planning of roadway tree landscapes on Pingtan Island as well as in similar climatic regions.

Stakeholder Identification and Collaboration Indicators in The Construction of Pedestrian Facilities in Jakarta

One of the programs the Jakarta Capital City Government runs is to lower the traffic in the city by offering spacious and comfortable pedestrian areas. The entire street idea, which divides road space to accommodate different user kinds and abilities, including those with disabilities, is used in its implementation. However, Stakeholder participation has certain drawbacks, including poor institutional coordination and subpar program execution integration with pertinent regional apparatus. This issue is believed to arise when multiple stakeholders' interests are involved, leading to disparities in sectoral perspectives and egos. These issues also make it more challenging to carry out the program's provision of pedestrian amenities. This research identifies internal and external stakeholders who influence the construction of pedestrian facilities in Jakarta and identifies indicators that affect their collaboration.

Development of an economic and information system for the optimization of city traffic flows

The paper presents a critical analysis of current approaches to reorganizing urban transportation routes. It proposes addressing the problem of optimizing traffic flows as a multidimensional issue encompassing social and economic aspects. An economic-information model for continuous monitoring and optimization of urban traffic flow configurations based on the criterion of congestion wait time has been developed. The calculation of the economic consequences of such waiting time is proposed. The developed system has practical significance and can be applied in managing traffic flows as an economic subsystem of the city within its socio-economic system. Urban transportation infrastructure in Ukraine faces significant challenges due to social changes, including increasing passenger flow, extended waiting times, and the need to adhere to modern urban planning standards. Current trends involve redistributing street and road space based on principles of equal access and safety. This includes pilot actions, intermediate reconstruction, and comprehensive reorganization of urban space and transportation routes. Proposed methods for enhancing transportation infrastructure include improving government management, implementing proactive management strategies, executing investment projects, establishing public-private partnerships, temporarily reducing tax burdens, developing comprehensive solutions for consumers, and optimizing transportation pricing. These strategies aim to address the pressing problems in Ukraine's transport sector and facilitate sustainable development and growth. The study focuses on the financing of infrastructural projects in Dnipro city through the municipal budget. It proposes integrating economic-mathematical models into a unified economic-information system for optimizing traffic flows, allowing for continuous monitoring and improvement. This system emphasizes minimizing congestion wait times and can adapt to dynamic changes in traffic patterns, ensuring efficient and effective urban traffic management. By implementing this system, the city can enhance its transportation network, contributing to overall economic efficiency and better quality of life for its residents.

An urban-rural divide? Preferences for autonomous vehicles in small and med-sized metropolitan areas

Planning for autonomous vehicles (AVs) depends on understanding how commuters behave and respond to this disruptive technology. There is a growing body of research on individuals' preferences and perceptions towards AVs, but much less work has been done on the implications for smaller communities. This paper examines commuters' preferences for autonomous vehicles in small and mid-sized US metropolitan areas. Using a national-wide stated experiment dataset, we find that AVs, both shared and privately owned, would have limited appeal to most of the commuters in smaller urban and rural areas, even when monetary cost of using AVs can be substantially reduced. Also, most of the commuters are not comfortable with sharing the road space with AVs. Our findings point to the importance of designing AV policies that recognize the heterogenous response of users and non-users in small urban and rural areas.

How does street environment affect pedestrian crash risks? A link-level analysis using street view image-based pedestrian exposure measurement

Street space plays a critical role in pedestrian safety, but the influence of fine-scale street environment features has not been sufficiently understood. To analyze the effect of the street environment at the link level, it is essential to account for the spatial variation of pedestrian exposure across street links, which is challenging due to the lack of detailed pedestrian flow data. To address these issues, this study proposes to extract link-level pedestrian exposure from spatially ubiquitous street view images (SVIs) and investigate the impact of fine-scale street environment on pedestrian crash risks, with a particular focus on pedestrian facilities (e.g., crossing and sidewalk design). Both crash frequency and severity are analyzed at the link level, with the latter incorporating two distinct aggregation metrics: maximum severity and medium severity. Using Hong Kong as a case study, the results show that the link-level pedestrian exposure extracted from SVIs can lead to better model fit than alternative zone-level measurements. Specifically, higher pedestrian exposure is found to increase the total pedestrian crash frequency, while reducing the risk of serious injuries or fatalities, confirming the “safety in numbers” effect for pedestrians. Pedestrian facilities are also shown to influence pedestrian crash frequency and severity in different ways. The presence of crosswalks can increase crash frequency, but denser crosswalk design mitigates this effect. In addition, two-side sidewalks can increase crash frequency, while the absence of sidewalks leads to higher risks of crash severity. These findings highlight the importance of fine-scale street environment and pedestrian facility design for pedestrian safety.

Research on Range of Appropriate Spatial Scale of Underground Commercial Street Based on Psychological Perception Evaluation

Developing and utilizing underground space is a vital direction for urban growth. Underground commercial streets, as a significant component of underground space accommodating extensive human social activities, consequently necessitate the creation of human-scale spaces. In the evolution of urban design development towards more significant, more terrific refinement, applying architectural theories and excessively subjective designs has resulted in a deficient human-centered design and a disordered spatial environment. This study merges environmental psychology and architectural theory to determine the appropriate length of spatial scale. Two experiments focusing on spatial perception evaluation were conducted using a virtual experimental platform that featured varying dimensions of spatial scale combinations. These quantified combinations were correlated with the perception evaluation, and a regression analysis was employed to identify appropriate scale ranges, which were superimposed with the range of length selection. Finally, the optimal length and scale combination for underground commercial street spaces was established, providing a reference for the human-centered design of these environments.

Spatial quality measurement of commercial streets in old cities of medium-sized cities in China

ABSTRACT Chinese urban development has entered the stage of stock planning, and as an important part of urban public space, the construction of street space has a direct impact on urban development. High-quality street space contributes to sustainable urban development.High-quality street spaces are highly important for constructing vibrant and sustainable cities. Taking Jiaozuo city, a medium-sized city, as an example, this article establishes an evaluation index system for commercial street space quality from the aspects of external characterization and objective material space and uses the Pearson correlation coefficient to explore the influencing factors of urban commercial street space quality. This study finds that (1) crowd activities on commercial streets have different temporal and spatial patterns on weekdays and days off; (2) the external characterization of urban street space quality has a significant positive correlation with objective material spatial elements such as the density of public transportation stops, functional density, functional mixing, interface continuity, and spatial green visibility rate; (3) the enhancement of street accessibility and fine-tuning of functions are key to improving the spatial quality of commercial streets.This study provides theoretical basis and ideas for improving the spatial quality of commercial streets in medium-sized cities in China and promoting sustainable urban development.

Analysis of the current situation and a proposal to solve the parking problem in the center of the city of Banja Luka by introducing new street parking spaces

In the course of 2023, due to the expansion of the infrastructure, the center of the city of Banja Luka was left without four off-street to one street parking lots, which resulted in the loss of a total of 442 public parking spaces. Given that there is less and less free space on which new off-street parking lots could be built, the goal of the work is to find new locations suitable for the introduction of street parking spaces in the narrow and wider city center. As one of the solutions, Kralja Petra I Karađorđevića street and Vidovdanska street proved to be the best. In part of these streets, one-way traffic takes place on a road with three traffic lanes, and in terms of dimensions, it is possible to introduce street parking lots without causing traffic congestion. In this way, 2.2 kilometers of road would be obtained on which 220 new street parking spaces could be built, which fully correspond to the location, and provide safety and easy access to the parking space.

Finding Out the Root of Congestion Problems in Malang City and the Best Solution with Public Policy Analysis

Traffic congestion has a significant negative impact on regional economic activities and decreases community productivity. The purpose of this study is to analyze the sources of congestion problems in Malang City and the best way to solve them with a high level of effectiveness. The method used is qualitative with secondary data study. The researcher used a classification-based analysis approach to address the congestion problem with a multidisciplinary approach and explore the root of the congestion problem in Malang City. The first step involves logical division to classify the problem situation into several components. Second, logical classification refers to the act of combining different circumstances, things, or individuals into larger groups or classes. The results showed that the source of the problem was found in the high volume of vehicles and disorderly parking due to the growing accumulative population mobility. As a result, the capacity of Malang City is not able to accommodate this. Recommendations from alternative options resulting from the satisficing method analysis were carried out. In the end, the option to reorganize the road space is the option that is considered to meet all the criteria.

Research on the Evaluation of Street Space Friendliness of Residential Blocks: Based on Residents’ Subjective Observation Perspective

This paper takes 20 residential streets in Hexi district of Nanjing as the research objects, investigates pedestrians’subjective perception and object environment data of the street space environment, analyzes pedestrians’psychological evaluation structure of the street which includes social interaction, spatial atmosphere, vegetation and facilities. On the basis of each evaluation score of the streets based on the common factors,the paper studies the correlation between the subjective evaluation of the street and the object index, concludes the influence mechanism of street object indicators on residents’psychological perception, and explores the street space environment indicators that are conducive to pedestrian-friendly residential blocks.