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Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 37071

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Francesco Domenico Moccia

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Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Naples – 80134, Italy
Interests: City Planning, Urban Design, Planning Theory, Strategic Planning, Regional Planning, Ecology

Prof. Alessandro Sgobbo

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Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Naples – 80134, Italy
Interests: Urban Planning, Town Planning, Regional Planning, Ecology, Water Sensitive Urban Planning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The linkage of urban form to sustainability is based mainly over its contribution to the shift of transportation mode from private ownership cars to mass transit. This objective lead to polycentric organization of metropolitan areas and concentration of population in compact and high-density settlements, rising a new interest in land use and transportation relations. However, urban morphology reorganization is long time spending and costly, in addition to social and cultural change, needing a strong prevision capacity and social awareness.

Many questions are raised: How can the whole mass transportation system (Train, Bus,…) be integrated to give the better service to urbanized land? May be transit oriented development move to transit-oriented redevelopment? How non-mechanical mobility links to mass transit and shape urban public space? How can we arrange a multi-functionality of infrastructure: low-speed mobility, green infrastructure? What king of governance for multi-scale infrastructure?

This Special Issue will comprise a selection of papers presenting original and innovative contributions to the advancement of land use-transportation research in areas related to accessibility modelling and implementation, regional planning with a TOD appoach, sustainable mobility policy, mobility factor in urban regeneration. Papers selected for this Special Issue will be subject to a rigorous peer-review process with the aim of rapid and wide dissemination of research results, developments, and applications.

Prof. Francesco Domenico Moccia
Prof. Alessandro Sgobbo
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Sustainability 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 2400 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 Ecology
Sustainability
Urban Densification
Polycentric Regional Planning
Non-mechanical Mobility
Cycling
Pedestrian
Transit Oriented Development
Accessibility
Land Use

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deep Learning Method for Recognition and Classification of Images from Video Recorders in Difficult Weather Conditions

by Aleksey Osipov, Ekaterina Pleshakova, Sergey Gataullin, Sergey Korchagin, Mikhail Ivanov, Anton Finogeev and Vibhash Yadav

Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2420; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042420 - 20 Feb 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8128

Abstract

The sustainable functioning of the transport system requires solving the problems of identifying and classifying road users in order to predict the likelihood of accidents and prevent abnormal or emergency situations. The emergence of unmanned vehicles on urban highways significantly increases the risks of such events. To improve road safety, intelligent transport systems, embedded computer vision systems, video surveillance systems, and photo radar systems are used. The main problem is the recognition and classification of objects and critical events in difficult weather conditions. For example, water drops, snow, dust, and dirt on camera lenses make images less accurate in object identification, license plate recognition, vehicle trajectory detection, etc. Part of the image is overlapped, distorted, or blurred. The article proposes a way to improve the accuracy of object identification by using the Canny operator to exclude the damaged areas of the image from consideration by capturing the clear parts of objects and ignoring the blurry ones. Only those parts of the image where this operator has detected the boundaries of the objects are subjected to further processing. To classify images by the remaining whole parts, we propose using a combined approach that includes the histogram-oriented gradient (HOG) method, a bag-of-visual-words (BoVW), and a back propagation neural network (BPNN). For the binary classification of the images of the damaged objects, this method showed a significant advantage over the classical method of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) (79 and 65% accuracies, respectively). The article also presents the results of a multiclass classification of the recognition objects on the basis of the damaged images, with an accuracy spread of 71 to 86%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability)

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32 pages, 20410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insights into the Impacts of Mega Transport Infrastructures on the Transformation of Urban Fabric: Case of BRT Lahore

by Ahmad Adeel, Bruno Notteboom, Ansar Yasar, Kris Scheerlinck and Jeroen Stevens

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7451; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137451 - 02 Jul 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2895

Abstract

State of the art mass transit systems, such as bus rapid transit (BRT), have appeared to be an innovative solution to meet the mobility needs of many world cities. However, their ability to transform surrounding urban fabric remains less explored in the developing world. This paper examines the impacts of BRT Lahore on land development patterns, considering the phenomena of land use revitalization, densification, and property reconfiguration. We have used quantitative approaches to gauge the changes in the urban fabric, with respect to the local neighborhood conditions and parcel level attributes, using multilevel logit models. The results of the logit models reveal heterogeneous impacts on conversions to commercial plazas, apartment buildings, and mixed-use buildings. The distance to the BRT station and size of the property is significantly associated with these conversions. Overall, one can notice a lack of a sense of place making and an absence of transit-oriented zoning around BRT stations. The desire of sustainable transit-oriented development to intensify land uses according to local conditions requires local urban designers and planners to think ahead of the curve by working on the regulatory and zoning restrictions governing the designs of built environment and also address the issues of gentrification and social inequity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability)

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31 pages, 6601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Data Exchange Processes for the Definition of Climate-Proof Design Strategies for the Adaptation to Heatwaves in the Urban Open Spaces of Dense Italian Cities

by Eduardo Bassolino, Valeria D’Ambrosio and Alessandro Sgobbo

Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5694; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105694 - 19 May 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2241

Abstract

The growing awareness of the danger of extreme weather phenomena highlights the inadequacy of current cities and the increase in their level of vulnerability concerning the impacts resulting from climate change. The theme of design to combat climate impacts requires the development of knowledge and process models capable of managing the complexity of the information necessary to direct a climate-proof transformation of the urban systems. The research made it possible to develop a methodology based on the exchange of data between GIS-based ICT tools and for parametric design, to analyze the microclimatic and performance behavior of recurrent types of urban open spaces in Italian cities, characterized by different climatic conditions, through generic urban patterns, homogeneous in terms of building density and morphology. The goal achieved was to define the critical aspects of urban open spaces with the performance offered in response to the phenomenon of heatwaves, to verify and measure the performance effectiveness of climate-proof intervention categories, to transfer these results in the form of database, hazard maps, and potential levels of adaptation, and to define guidelines for the climate-oriented project. The transfer of the project data took place through a decision support webGIS platform (SDSS). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability)

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22 pages, 6382 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Scaling the Potential of Compact City Development: The Case of Lahore, Pakistan

by Muhammad Nadeem, Amer Aziz, Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid, Giovanni Tesoriere, Muhammad Asim and Tiziana Campisi

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5257; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095257 - 08 May 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6799

Abstract

With increasing urban populations, high vehicle miles have made the concept of a compact city imperative. A compact city is characterized by high-density development and mixed land use with no urban sprawl. City managers are trying hard to make their cities compact and livable. The potential conformance to a compact city development requires scaling before any significant intervention. Several studies have been conducted on the different aspects of the compact city in the developed world, but there is limited understanding in the South Asian context. This study aimed to fill this research gap and proposes a theoretical matrix to gauge the potential compactness of Lahore, Pakistan. It comprises some key attributes, such as landscape ecology, measurement of density, density distribution, transportation network, accessibility, dispersion index, and mixed-use land consumption, which were analyzed in this research. The data were analyzed using Geographical Information System (GIS) and ERDAS IMAGINE software to make a scaling matrix. The research findings show that Lahore is a semi-compact city, with high potential to become a true compact city. The paper recommends that the urban extent should not be extended until targeted colonization is achieved, and the spatial growth of the city should be managed by encouraging infilled development, high-density living, and public transport provision. This research will help policymakers, urban planners, and transport planners devising policies for compact city development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability)

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27 pages, 6577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of On-Demand Collective Transport Services on Sustainability: A Comparison of Various Service Options in a Rural and an Urban Area of Switzerland

by Lisa Dang, Widar von Arx and Jonas Frölicher

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3091; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063091 - 11 Mar 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5235

Abstract

This study examines the effects of on-demand mobility services on sustainability in terms of emissions and traffic volume. According to our simulations, implementing on-demand mobility services is recommendable only as a supplement to public transport in both urban and rural regions since there are positive effects in terms of CO₂ emissions. However, in urban areas, there is a negative impact on the traffic volume in terms of additional vehicle kilometres since the bundled public transport demand is replaced by less bundled on-demand vehicles. In rural areas, the increase in vehicle kilometres plays less of a role due to generally low demand. The negative effects per vehicle kilometre are slightly higher in rural areas due to higher empty kilometres and lower bundling rates, but the negative effects per km² in dense cities are much more serious. Authorities need to consider these effects according to the spatial context when implementing such services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability)

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22 pages, 26014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bus Rapid Transit System: A Study of Sustainable Land-Use Transformation, Urban Density and Economic Impacts

by Muhammad Aamir Basheer, Luuk Boelens and Rob van der Bijl

Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3376; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083376 - 21 Apr 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6901

Abstract

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has shown significant growth in recent years, particularly in developing countries because of its cost-effectiveness. However, empirical evidence on land-use and economic impacts of BRT is limited. This study measures the sustainable land-use transformation, urban density, and economic impact witnessed after the development of BRT. Spatial analysis shows that BRT has the potential to simulate land-use transformation, however, the extent of transformation is context-dependent. Population density has increased from 268 persons/acre to 299 persons/acre. Besides land-use transformations, inward investments and extension of the labor market were also evident in areas served by BRT. The amount almost equal to US $140 million of inward investment was detected after implementation of BRT, which ultimately brought around 800 new employees from remote areas. An efficient land-use policy, streamlining these land-use transformations, and inward investments, can benefit from developing compact and sustainable neighborhoods. This study will help in the performance evaluation of BRT systems in developing countries for sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability)

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19 pages, 2393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Socio-Spatial Concerns in Urban Mobility Planning: Insights from Competing Policies in Quito

by Giovanni Vecchio, Riccardo Porreca and Daniela Jácome Rivera

Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2923; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072923 - 07 Apr 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3753

Abstract

Socio-spatial concerns are gaining increasing attention in the design of interventions for urban mobility. This is especially true in contexts traditionally characterized by structural inequality and high levels of poverty, in which transport can be a decisive contributor to development thanks to its contribution to a higher social inclusion. Amongst them, Latin America has emerged as a significant laboratory for urban and transport policy due not only to its socioeconomic conditions but also to the implementation of different mobility strategies based on the construction of traditional and innovative infrastructures such as subways and bus rapid transit (BRT) systems. These two transport systems can be complementary or alternative to each other: this depends not only on their transport capacity, their economic sustainability, and to their levels of public acceptability but also on social, political, and spatial features of the setting they serve. This paper intends to discuss the socio-spatial consequences that interventions based on different transport systems can generate, examining them in the city of Quito, Ecuador. The discussion is based on the implementation of the existing BRT network and of a subway line under construction. Reconstructing two contrasting transport policies developed in the city in the last 25 years, this paper proposes an overview of the socio-spatial concerns that influenced and were influenced by urban mobility planning in Quito. To do so, this paper reviews and compares the socio-spatial concerns related to BRT and subway corridors, considering their accessibility, the wider urban transformations they promote, their economic sustainability, and the overall public acceptability, estimating to what extent these have influenced the decision to implement a certain transport policy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Transport Integration, Urban Density and Sustainability)

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