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Urban Mobility and Transport Systems: Challenges and Innovations for Sustainable...
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Urban Mobility and Transport Systems: Challenges and Innovations for Sustainable Cities

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 4007

Editors

Dr. Roberto Murcio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, UK
Interests: urban mobility; sustainable cities; urban transport planning; building design and mobility; built environment
Dr. Honghan Bei

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
School of Maritime Economics and Management, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
Interests: optimization algorithms for transport planning; control theory for smart traffic management; shipping finance & green shipping management; transportation route optimization for sustainable logistics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban mobility and transport systems are essential for sustainable cities, significantly affecting social equity, environmental quality, economic vitality, and energy consumption. However, cities around the globe encounter growing challenges, including traffic congestion, air and noise pollution, and unequal access to transportation options.

To enhance understanding and provide actionable insights for urban planners and policymakers, this Special Issue invites contributions that explore ongoing challenges and innovative solutions aimed at fostering sustainable urban mobility. The scope of this issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics: integrating transport planning with urban design and building typologies; the impact of emerging technologies, such as autonomous vehicles (AVs) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS), on infrastructure, land use, and building requirements; strategies for promoting active travel (walking and cycling) through infrastructure design that connects people with various points of interest, including health facilities, schools, green spaces, and retail; advancements in public transport systems and their integration with urban form; and the role of policy, governance, and smart city solutions in shaping sustainable transport futures within the urban fabric. This Special Issue welcomes both qualitative and quantitative studies, as well as empirical and theoretical contributions.

Dr. Roberto Murcio
Dr. Honghan Bei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban mobility
  • transport inequality
  • sustainable cities
  • built environment
  • transport infrastructure
  • transport–land use integration
  • smart mobility (EVs, AVs, MaaS)
  • active travel (walking and cycling)
  • urban transport planning
  • building design and mobility

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

38 pages, 7610 KB  
Article
Sustainable Urban Mobility Challenges: Multi-Dimensional Topological Fracture Typology of Pedestrian Travel Networks in 15-Minute Neighborhoods, a Case Study of Hefei
by Chunxiang Dong, Mengru Zhou, Hanbin Wei, Chunfeng Yang and Yi Yao
Buildings 2026, 16(10), 1952; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16101952 - 14 May 2026
Viewed by 243
Abstract
The 15-min neighborhood paradigm has reshaped the evaluation system of urban pedestrian mobility, shifting pedestrian network assessment from single facility supply to holistic topological structural analysis. Structural fracture of pedestrian systems has thus become a prominent challenge restricting high-quality sustainable urban travel and [...] Read more.
The 15-min neighborhood paradigm has reshaped the evaluation system of urban pedestrian mobility, shifting pedestrian network assessment from single facility supply to holistic topological structural analysis. Structural fracture of pedestrian systems has thus become a prominent challenge restricting high-quality sustainable urban travel and neighborhood renewal. Existing studies mainly focus on macroscopic accessibility and geometric connectivity, lacking systematic multi-dimensional quantitative measurement and refined typological identification of network topological fractures. Taking 52 typical 15-min neighborhoods in Baohe District, Hefei as research samples, this paper constructs a four-dimensional topological fracture evaluation system, and conducts empirical analysis through correlation analysis, K-means++ clustering and micro topological feature mining. The results show that functional fracture and hierarchical fracture are weakly correlated and relatively independent (ρ = 0.068). Four distinct topological fracture types are classified, among which the Cognitive Disorientation type accounts for the largest proportion of 37.3%. Microscopic topological verification further reveals the formation mechanisms and spatial differentiation laws of various fracture patterns. This study provides a scientific typological basis and targeted topological intervention strategies for sustainable governance, classified regulation and optimized upgrading of urban pedestrian travel networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Mobility and Transport Systems: Challenges and Innovations for Sustainable Cities)
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36 pages, 4432 KB  
Article
Investigating Unsafe Pedestrian Behavior at Urban Road Midblock Crossings Using Machine Learning: Lessons from Alexandria, Egypt
by Ahmed Mahmoud Darwish, Sherif Shokry, Maged Zagow, Marwa Elbany, Ali Qabur, Talal Obaid Alshammari, Ahmed Elkafoury and Mohamed Shaaban Alfiqi
Buildings 2026, 16(3), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16030505 - 26 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1281
Abstract
Examining pedestrian crossing violations at high-risk road midblock crossings has become essential, particularly in high-speed corridors, as a result of accidents at crossings resulting in fatalities. Hence, this article investigates such behavior in Alexandria, Egypt, as a credible case study in a developing [...] Read more.
Examining pedestrian crossing violations at high-risk road midblock crossings has become essential, particularly in high-speed corridors, as a result of accidents at crossings resulting in fatalities. Hence, this article investigates such behavior in Alexandria, Egypt, as a credible case study in a developing country. According to our research methodology, a comprehensive dataset of over 2400 field-observed video recordings was used for real-life data collection. Machine learning (ML) models, such as CatBoost and gradient boosting (GB), were employed to predict crossing decisions. The models showed that risky behavior is strongly influenced by waiting time, crossing time, and the number of crossing attempts. The highest predictive performance was achieved by CatBoost and gradient boosting, indicating strong interpersonal influence within small groups engaging in unsafe road-crossing behavior. In the same context, the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) values for these variables were 3, 2, and 0.60, respectively. Subsequently, based on SHAP sensitivity analysis, the results show that the total time (s) and age group (40–60 Y) had a significant negative influence on model prediction converging to class 0 (e.g., crossing illegally). The results also showed that shorter exposure times increase the likelihood of crossing illegally. This research work is among the few studies that employ a behavior-based approach to understanding pedestrian behavior at midblock crossings. This study offers actionable insights and valuable information for urban designers and transportation planners when considering the design of midblock crossings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Mobility and Transport Systems: Challenges and Innovations for Sustainable Cities)
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27 pages, 11436 KB  
Article
Quantitative Evaluation and Optimization of the Light Environment in Sleep-Conducive Workplaces
by Baogang Zhang, Fei Xu, Ming Liu, Ruicong Li and Kehui Zhao
Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4373; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234373 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1357
Abstract
Sleep is an essential physiological process, and residential lighting environments significantly impact sleep quality. To address circadian phase delays exacerbated by pre-sleep smartphone use in youth, this study developed targeted lighting interventions. Through laboratory simulations, the effects of color temperature, illuminance, and horizontal [...] Read more.
Sleep is an essential physiological process, and residential lighting environments significantly impact sleep quality. To address circadian phase delays exacerbated by pre-sleep smartphone use in youth, this study developed targeted lighting interventions. Through laboratory simulations, the effects of color temperature, illuminance, and horizontal blue light ratio on multisensory responses (visual, psychological, physiological) and sleep quality were examined. A rhythmic lighting strategy for healthy environments was proposed. Key findings: (1) Lighting factors revealed a hierarchy of influence on sleep quality—color temperature had the greatest influence on sleep quality, followed by illuminance and horizontal blue light ratio. Optimal conditions include cycling color temperature, 800 lx illuminance, and 25% blue light ratio. (2) Context-specific interventions were proposed—high illuminance with low color temperature enhances comfort in healthcare/leisure spaces, while medium–high color temperature, high illuminance, and cycling blue light ratios improve efficiency in office/study environments. (3) A time-sequenced rhythmic lighting scheme aligned with daily routines was implemented. This study establishes a novel health evaluation framework for residential lighting, combining sleep quality, psychological, and physiological metrics, redefines research paradigms for light-induced health effects, and provides actionable insights for optimizing workplace lighting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Mobility and Transport Systems: Challenges and Innovations for Sustainable Cities)
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