Transport Connectivity Research Articles

First record of the introduced ladybird beetle, Coccinella undecimpunctata Linnaeus (1758), on South Georgia (sub-Antarctic).

Biological invasions represent a growing threat to islands and their biodiversity across the world. The isolated sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean is a highly protected area that relies on effective biosecurity including prevention, surveillance and eradication to limit the risk of biological invasions. Based on an opportunistic field discovery, we provide the first report of an introduced ladybird beetle on South Georgia. All specimens discovered belong to the Eurasian species Coccinella undecimpunctata Linnaeus (1758) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Tens of individuals of both sexes were discovered at a single location, indicating that the species may already be established on South Georgia. Transport connectivity with this site suggests that the species most likely arrived recently from the Falkland Islands as a stowaway on a ship. We discuss the implications of our discovery for the continued development of South Atlantic biosecurity.

Sustainable urban development and the role of mega-projects: Experts’ view about Madrid Nuevo Norte Project

The present paper discusses the case of the Madrid Nuevo Norte Project (MNNP) in order to examine the relation of this mega-project with the city’s sustainable development. For this reason, the study used a qualitative approach using semi-structural interviews with experts (Madrid’s town hall, Madrid State, and the program management office and other external) that relayed strongly with MNNP. The expert panel requirements are split in six expertise areas: sustainability, urban development, urban planning, government or public affairs, project management or Madrid Nuevo Norte (MNN) key stakeholders. The study highlighted the vital importance of MNNP as a flagship sustainable project for the rest of Europe, that meets sustainability criteria for contributing substantially in the improvement of the quality of life of final users and for the community in general. For instance, it contributes to the regeneration of the city’s degraded area, to the interconnection of an isolated part of the city and public transportation connection, improving the external image of Madrid. Despite of it, there are some challenges that should be carefully managed such as applying sustainable solutions from other cities not properly tailored to Madrid, housing pricing accessibility increase due to the lack of terrain in Madrid and the politization of the project as discussion topic between local parties. In this context, local authorities should give particular emphasis in complying with the principles of sustainability for improving the overall performance of MNNP, ensuring social justice and prosperity for the people of Madrid.

The Integration of Shared Autonomous Vehicles in Public Transportation Services: A Systematic Review

Autonomous vehicles and shared mobility represent two fields of strong innovation in transportation research, and Shared Autonomous Vehicle (SAV) services have been studied as a new promising mobility system. Such services offer a strong potential especially when integrated with the Public Transport (PT) system, increasing its attractiveness by providing first- and last-mile connections to low-demand areas. This paper performs a systematic review on a niche of SAV-related literature, selecting articles that address PT-SAV integrations, the issue of how SAVs should be implemented together with already existing transit systems to enhance collective mobility. Papers have been classified firstly according to the methodological and modelling approaches used by researchers, and then according to the different operational schemes with which SAV systems can be deployed. Common findings have been reported and commented on, identifying the lack of articles aimed at determining the most suitable SAV service typology for specific contexts and network configuration. Many authors indicate that if SAVs are operated as feeder modes to mass transit, they might improve public transport connectivity. However, further research is needed to explore the efficacy of SAV systems as an opportunity to address first/last-mile PT planning issues.

Research on the organization of public space relations in commercial complex buildings in the context of big data

Abstract As an emerging type of large commercial building, commercial complexes play an increasingly important role in contemporary urban development and construction trends. In order to better study the organization of public space relations in commercial complex buildings, this paper selects eight commercial complexes as sample cases to analyze their spatial design in terms of both content public space and external public space based on big data technology. Regarding the design of the commercial complexes’ internal public space movement, the highest accessibility degree reached 95.3%, while the average was 82.5%. Regarding visibility, the highest level was 96.0%, and the average was 83.3%. For large complexes, better spatial relationships can be designed to improve the circulation degree and thus enhance customers’ consumption experience. Regarding the convenience of traffic connection to the external space of commercial complexes, an average of 41.4% of customers consider it very convenient, 23.1% consider it relatively convenient, 27.9% consider it somewhat inconvenient, and 18.0% consider it very inconvenient. Commercial complexes can effectively attract more repeat customers if they can improve the convenient design of transportation connections. The study of public relations of commercial complexes based on big data helps to discover the defects of their public space design and plays a significant role in optimizing spatial design and relationship organization and strengthening their integrated functions.

GIS-based location analysis for hospital site selection: A case study on National Children’s Hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria

The present research investigates the possibilities of the available online resources and GIS analytic tools to facilitate integrating the spatial context in urban and regional planning by testing a GIS-based location analysis that uses widely available data for identifying an appropriate site for National Children’s hospital in Bulgaria. The elaborated methodology is easy to use, employs accessible online resources, and could be applied in different scales. The aim is to produce a comprehensible instrument that could be adopted by public authorities and used for informed political decision-making. A series of geospatial analyses are used to evaluate the potential location and its alternatives based on transport accessibility, population density in the service area, and public transport connectivity. The analyses are based on the online resources of Google Maps that are used to evaluate the transport accessibility to all the possible locations using different perspectives. The pedestrian access to public transport is also calculated to assess the different modes of transport available. To assess the locations according to the transport accessibility of the population, tools from ArcGIS Pro Network analyst are used. Accessibility is considered from the patient's perspective. The results are analyzed to make a supposition of the alternatives and to come up with a conclusion about whether the already chosen location is a sensible choice from a transport accessibility perspective. The outcomes of the research could help policymakers understand some of the spatial complexities associated with the demand and the accessibility dimensions of healthcare access. The article emphasizes the significance of integrating the spatial context in urban and regional planning and the possibilities of the new technologies to facilitate that task. This methodology for location analysis could be also used for other public services and urban-related matters.

О СВЯЗИ ЦИКЛОГЕНЕЗА В МЕКСИКАНСКОМ ЗАЛИВЕ С ПЕРЕНОСОМ ВОДЯНОГО ПАРА В ТРОПИЧЕСКОЙ АТЛАНТИКЕ (ПО СПУТНИКОВЫМ СВЧ-РАДИОМЕТРИЧЕСКИМ ДАННЫМ)

The results of satellite monitoring of the transatlantic transport of water vapor in the atmosphere from the western coast of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico are presented. Using the data of the DMSP, EOS Aqua, GCOM-W1 satellite microwave radiometer measurements, the zones with high concentrations of water vapor in the air over the tropical Atlantic are identified, and the dynamics of their movement towards the Gulf of Mexico in the periods preceding the initiation of hurricanes Bret (1999), Lorenzo (2007), Katia (2017) in the gulf is analyzed. The connection of the atmospheric water vapor transport over the tropical Atlantic to the cyclogenesis in the Gulf of Mexico is discussed.

Coupling and coordinated development of traffic accessibility and regional tourism economy

Based on the weighted average travel time, tourism economic potential, tourism economic connections and other indicators, this paper analyses the impacts of high-speed rail (HSR) on the accessibility of regional transport and tourism economic connections and explores the synergistic effect of accessibility and the tourism economic development through the coupling coordination degree evaluation model. The results indicate that the space-time compression effect brought by HSR enhanced traffic accessibility and tourism economic connections in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, but the improvement was spatially unbalanced. The improvement of transportation conditions has led to a trend towards centralization in the economic connections of tourism, resulting in the formation of the Chengdu-Deyang-Mianyang-Leshan HSR tourism economic belt. The coupling coordination level of tourism accessibility and tourism economic connections in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle presents a basic coordinated state. HSR has improved the lagging status of regional tourism economic development, and enhanced the coupling coordination degree between tourism accessibility and tourism economy of Chengdu, Chongqing, and Deyang. To promote the coordinated development of regional tourism, the construction of the high-speed rail network should be further improved, the efficiency of the spatial movement of tourism elements should be strengthened, and the core cities should play a leading role in the tourism economy of the peripheral cities.

Evaluating the Service Capacity of Port-Centric Intermodal Transshipment Hub

Port-centric intermodal transshipment hubs are significant nodes in the global freight network and are likewise the gateway to a country’s external communications. It is vital to increase the service capacity of PCITHs, and it is necessary to assess the service capacity of port-centric intermodal transshipment hubs to respond to the growth of economies and global freight needs. This study provides a detailed definition of port-centric intermodal transshipment hubs through a review of relevant kinds of works from the literature and analyzes their primary functions. Based on the research perspective of sea–rail intermodal transportation, the three evaluation dimensions of service capacity of port-centric intermodal transshipment hubs are divided into radiation scale capacity, transportation connection capacity, and resource integration capacity, focusing on the functions of cargo aggregation, cargo transfer, and connection of different transportation modes. The service capacity evaluation indicators were then selected based on the three dimensions. The subjective and objective weightings were calculated by the G1 weighting method and the modified CRITIC method, and the combination weightings were determined based on game theory. The service capability of port-centric intermodal transshipment hubs was evaluated by the fuzzy matter element method, and the evaluation results were quantified by the Euclidean closeness degree. Finally, through the barrier degree model, the current indicators of PCITHs that urgently need improvement were explored, and targeted improvement suggestions are proposed in this paper. The results show that Tianjin Port has the highest service capacity, followed by Ningbo Zhoushan Port. The port rail dedicated line mileage is the most critical area that needs attention in Ningbo Zhoushan Port and Qingdao Port. Tianjin Port needs to improve the container sea–rail transportation volume, while Guangzhou Port and Xiamen Port need to improve the sea–rail container handling capacity.

MAIN PROBLEMS OF REGIONALIZATION POLICY IN CENTRAL ASIA

The article is devoted to issues of cooperation in Central Asia. It examines the main problems that the region's republics face in ensuring international and political security, economic development, and transportation connectivity. The relevance of regional cooperation in combating the negative consequences of climate change is emphasized.

Streamflow and flood prediction in Rwanda using machine learning and remote sensing in support of rural first-mile transport connectivity

Flooding, an increasing risk in Rwanda, tends to isolate and restrict the mobility of rural communities. In this work, we developed a streamflow model to determine whether floods and rainfall anomalies explain variations in rural trail bridge use, as directly measured by in-situ motion-activated digital cameras. Flooding data and river flows upon which our investigation relies are not readily available because most of the rivers that are the focus of this study are ungauged. We developed a streamflow model for these rivers by exploring the performance of process-based and machine learning models. We then selected the best model to estimate streamflow at each bridge site to enable an investigation of the associations between weather events and pedestrian volumes collected from motion-activated cameras. The Gradient Boosting Machine model (GBM) had the highest skill with a Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE) score of 0.79 followed by the Random Forest model (RFM) and the Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with KGE scores of 0.73 and 0.66, respectively. The physically-based Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC) had a KGE score of 0.07. At the 50% flow exceedance threshold, the GBM model predicted 90% of flood events reported between 2013 and 2022. We found moderate to strong positive correlations between total monthly crossings and the total number of flood events at four of the seven bridge sites (r = 0.36–0.84), and moderate negative correlations at the remaining bridge sites (r = -0.33– -0.53). Correlation with monthly rainfall was generally moderate to high with one bridge site showing no correlation and the rest having correlations ranging between 0.15–0.76. These results reveal an association between weather events and mobility and support the scaling up of the trail bridge program to mitigate flood risks. The paper concludes with recommendations for the improvement of streamflow and flood prediction in Rwanda in support of community-based flood early warning systems connected to trail bridges.

Application of the method of territorial long-term forecasts to determine the maximum water discharge rates under the conditions of spring flood 2022-2023 formation across the Desna basin

Despite the conditions of both climate change and long-term trend to decrease of hydrological characteristics of the Ukrainian rivers' spring flood that was established by many authors, the formation of high-water river floods accompanied by rising water levels and release of water to floodplains still remains probable.
 Thus, according to the data of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center (UkrHMC) of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (web: www.meteo.gov.ua), the hydrometeorological conditions of snowmelt and rain runoff formation during the autumn-winter and spring periods of 2022-2023 across the basins of the Dnipro and Desna rivers and their tributaries were characterized as those having a complex nature. This led to a rise of these rivers' water levels with flooding of floodplains, disruption of transport connections, as well as flooding of populated areas in Kyiv, Chernihiv and other Ukrainian regions.
 The purpose of this study is the issues related to determination of natural factors that lead to extreme large-scale spring floods, and long-term forecasting of maximum runoff of spring floods in 2022-2023 across the Desna River basin.
 To ensure operational forecasting support and assessment of the spring floods size across the basin of the Desna River and other left tributaries of the Middle Dnieper, the research used a method of territorial long-term forecasts of spring floods maximum runoff. The method takes into account a complex of hydrometeorological factors which, when combined annually, lead to the formation of spring floods of different sizes.
 The results of the long-term forecast for maximum water discharge rates during the spring flood in 2022-2023 retrieved from the forecasting computer complex "SEYM" show satisfactory statistical estimates of the forecast for maximum water discharge rates during a spring flood provided that a high pre-flood water content of the rivers during recession of a winter flood is considered. The forecast lead time for maximum water discharge rates of the spring flood in 2022-2023 varied from 20-30 days for small tributaries of the Desna River to two months for the Desna and Seim rivers themselves.
 Application of the method of territorial long-term forecasts of characteristics of river spring floods allows spatial monitoring of the rivers' water content provided that forecasting is conducted using the methodology of maximum water discharge rates for any rivers of a certain territory, including those with relation to which there are no observations of their water runoff.
 An early warning about a dangerous river water level during winter-spring periods can significantly reduce the scale of negative consequences and ensure achievement of socio-economic and environmental effects.

Traffic Microsimulation of the Main Junction Connecting the Urban Road Network with the Sea-Port Container Terminal

Efficient transportation connectivity between ports and the hinterland is essential for the functioning of the port, especially for container terminals that predominantly rely on road transport. The integration of port and urban traffic flows, particularly in terminals located near cities, has a double impact on the level of service of urban traffic and the efficiency of the port. This paper examines the effects of a newly built container terminal, with a capacity of less than 1 million TEU per year, on urban traffic in Rijeka, Croatia. A microscopic-level simulation method is used together with traffic network modeling design. The research identifies potential bottlenecks or critical elements in the network with lower performance for the current traffic demand and the future growth scenarios of the container traffic. The study’s findings contribute to understanding the dynamic characteristics of port and urban traffic flow correlation, crucial for efficient transportation management and sustainable urban development in port cities.

KU ZINTEGROWANEJ OCHRONIE ZABYTKOWEGO ZASOBU SIECIOWEGO ARCHITEKTURY WIEŻ CIŚNIEŃ W POLSCE ZACHODNIEJ

The present paper treats the network of railway water towers as a group of architectural objects forming the system of multi-dimensional connections - historic networked architectural resource (HiNAR). HiNAR functions within dimensions: technological one, reflecting technical and processrelated basis of the erection and functioning of towers as railway facilities; the organisational one as an object serving specific transport connections; the typological one at levels – local/regional, national or international. Perceiving a single tower as an architectural object does not allow to assess its significance and thus to correctly categorise the object in connection with the needs of conservator’s protection, as it is necessary to accept the role that it may be serving in a broader dimension.

Assessing the transport connectivity of urban territories, based on intermodal transport accessibility

By 2050, around 70% of people will live in urban areas. According to the 11.2 target of UN SDG “Sustainable cities and communities” to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all, the aim of the paper presented was to investigate accessibility and connectivity of urban territories by public transport systems. The main emphasis of the research was directed at transport infrastructure, which can be seen as sustainable, including public transport. The quality of life in a large city is determined by the ability to get from one destination to another quickly and efficiently. To implement this task a methodology has been developed to assess the connectivity and accessibility of urban areas. The method, based on an intermodal transport graph, is presented as an example of assessing accessibility and connectivity in different districts of Saint Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), Stockholm (Sweden), and Amsterdam (Netherlands). The results are presented as graphs with clusters of city blocks presented as points. It is indicated that different areas of the city are connected through time values differently. The method can be used to make urban planning decisions about the provision of urban infrastructure, allows for ongoing monitoring of the situation, and filling in the gaps.

Zagospodarowanie przestrzeni osiedli mieszkaniowych w aspekcie możliwości wykorzystania przez seniorów na przykładzie Lubelskiej Spółdzielni Mieszkaniowej

Changes taking place in society in terms of age structure, needs and housing preferences mean that space requires constant modernization. A large proportion of elderly people in Poland live in housing estates built between 1960 and 1980. The majority of them do not want to leave them due to the location, transport connections, and also because living in a nursing home in Poland is the last resort. It is worth enabling seniors to stay in these places because their good condition requires maintaining independence. The adaptation of housing estates should include spaces that encourage physical activity to improve fitness or take preventive measures. The areas where the largest percentage of elderly people in Lublin live were selected for the study. The aim of the article is to determine the adaptation of housing estate areas to meet the recreational needs of seniors. The development of public spaces and greenery in housing estates, as well as the modernization processes that were carried out to make the areas more attractive to meet recreational needs, are presented. The standard of development of the studied estates is varied, but each of them has a strong advantage of greenery, allowing contact with nature, and places conducive to social contacts, enabling and encouraging activity.

Competitive strategy of halal tourism in Riau: opportunities and challenges

The halal tourism sector is currently a hot issue that is still being studied from various scientific approaches. Therefore, this study aims to systematically analyze the SWOT analysis of the results of identifying various internal and external factors of halal tourism in Riau Province. Then it is used in formulating a marketing strategy for halal tourism in Riau Province to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. The respondents of this study consisted of six people selected by the purposive sampling technique. The potential for unique values and originality from the historical background of Islam and Islamic Malay culture in Riau Province becomes a strong potential in responding to competition challenges in the halal tourism business sector. Observations, interviews, and documentation are used in collecting research data. The results of this study contribute to the determination of strategies for the growth and development of halal tourism in Riau Province to be increasingly competitive. Availability of Halal Certified and Availability of Islamic History and Cultural Attractions Based on Local Wisdom as an internal strengths can grow and develop as opportunity. Transportation connectivity is not optimal as a weakness need to develop in internal factor. Communication network need to grow and develop for gaining the threat.

Spatial Structure of Places in Singapore from a Complexity Perspective of the Public Transport Network

As cities become increasingly developed, inclusive and equal provision of public services and affordable housing is essential in achieving sustainable growth and development. In Singapore, with much of the population living in public housing and taking public transport, there is a great need to understand their landscape across the country. In this study, using tools from Complexity Science, we elucidated the spatial organization of places in Singapore through public bus transport connectivity, and investigated the association between such pattern to the distribution of the population age groups and property price. From the spatial network of the public transport services, we probed the places’ scale using the continuum percolation approach to uncover their spatial pattern. After that, we employed an information-theoretic measure of complexity to quantify the spatial organization of the system. The results show that there is a critical distance embedded within the public transport system at which the structure of the places in Singapore emerges. In many areas, the connectivity between places map well, and are greatest within the official planning boundary, demonstrating the influence of upstream spatial planning in determining bus networks. Yet in mature towns (particularly those in the central region), bus connectivity spans beyond planning boundaries, suggesting a more organic pattern on the ground in places with a longer history of development. The complexity of the bus network maps remarkably well to residential areas, and was associated with the distribution of resident age groups, and to property prices. In particular, the well-connected areas in and around the central region of Singapore are associated with higher property price and an older population. In contrast, the peripheral less-connected areas tend to see a lower property price and a younger population. The findings can contribute to understanding the existing pattern of physical and social form within an urban system, highlighting the role of complexity science methods in uncovering ‘emergent’ patterns in bus transport networks, beyond initial spatial plans, as areas mature over time. It can also guide future planning by highlighting the areas where more attention is needed to enhance island wide public bus connectivity, and by doing so, enable the public transport system to contribute to reducing potential socio-economic polarization within the system.

POTENTIALS OF FRANJO TUDMAN AIRPORT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERMODAL TRANSPORT

In the territory of the Republic of Croatia, not a single airport is connected to the railway infrastructure, which is a limiting factor for the further development of air cargo transport. The traffic network within the catchment area of Franjo Tudman Airport in Zagreb is not sufficiently interconnected, and therefore the implementation of the rules of the single market within the transport sectors is uneven. This paper aims to investigate the factors of intermodality of air transport and other modes of transport, focusing on cases of infrastructure integration in order to improve transport connectivity. The research analysed several airports where increase in cargo traffic was influenced by the expanding capacities and connectivity at the airport. By calculating the coefficient of utilisation of the intermodal surfaces of the reference airports, it was determined that the increase of these capacities does not necessarily lead to a significant increase in air cargo transport. However, due to estimates of the global growth of air cargo transport, an adequate and modernised infrastructure gives an advantage of better positioning in the transport market compared to those airports that do not have such resources. Based on the obtained results and increased investment to improve rail speeds and intermodal accessibility, the modular approach of expanding the infrastructure, through monitoring of cargo transport utilisation coefficient, is considered sustainable.

The Spatial-Temporal Evolution on County Accessibility and Economic Impact of Baoding High-Speed Railway Network

The districts and counties in the Baoding region are the subjects of this study, with an emphasis on the accessibility and economic relations between the core city, the Xiong’an New Area, and periphery districts and counties. By taking into account intracity transportation connections and passengers’ travel behavior choices, a mix of weighted average travel time, economic potential, and spatial autocorrelation analysis methodologies is applied. The accessibility modifications and evolution of the spatial distribution pattern of economic activity in the Baoding region as a result of the high-speed railway (HSR) construction are analyzed at multiscale. The findings indicate that (1) the accessibility level of the central city, the Xiong’an New Area, and counties in Baoding has been significantly improved, and a spatial distribution pattern of rings and branches has been formed, with the Beijing-Guangzhou and Xiong’an-Kunming directions serving as axes for expansion outward. The accessibility level is high in the east and high in the northwest. (2) The accessibility level is characterized by a high eastern component and a low western component. The economic potential of the core counties along the HSR line is substantially greater than that of the periphery counties, generating a geographical pattern of “twin stars” with the central city and the Xiong’an New Area at the apex and a diminishing circle radiating outward from the center. At the same time, due to the convergence of multiple HSR line. (3) Economic activities in Baoding districts and counties spread out more and more as the reachability time range widens. The optimal radiation range is within 1 hour. Economic activities in the Baoding region are not randomly distributed.

Conceptual foundations for improving ecological and economic mechanisms for development of rural territorial communities

This article is devoted to the conceptual framework for improving environmental and economic mechanisms for development of rural territorial communities, the development of which is an urgent task in the context of constant changes in society and economy. The problem of the interrelation between economic development and environmental protection, as well as the issues of agricultural development and land use are considered. Rural territorial communities are key elements of the agricultural sector and country’s economy as a whole. Their development and effective management of resources require the application of conceptual foundations for the improvement of ecological and economic mechanisms. The article discusses the main approaches to the formation of environmental and economic mechanisms, including the conservation of natural resources, reduction of environmental impact and stimulation of the development of innovative technologies in land use. In particular, the role of innovations in preserving natural resources and reducing environmental impact is discussed, as well as the importance of creating incentives for the development of such technologies in rural communities. The article suggests ways to improve the efficiency of rural management and the development of local self-government. It emphasizes the need to increase the role of civil society in the decision-making process on rural development. In addition, the article addresses the issue of decentralization of rural management and the development of mechanisms that ensure balanced development of the territory and preserve natural resources. The paper identifies the need to develop an effective economic mechanism to support the development of rural communities. This involves the implementation of regulatory policies that stimulate the development of the agricultural sector and support rural communities. It is also important to provide adequate infrastructure for the development of agriculture and local businesses, including transportation, electricity, and Internet connections.