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Sustainable Urban Mobility and Transportation Planning for Better Resilience

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2412

Special Issue Editors

School of Design, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
Interests: sustainable design; consumer perception and behavior research; mobility and service research; design methods

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Guest Editor
School of Design, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
Interests: lifestyle design; experience design; integration of innovative design methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to announce a call for papers for the Special Issue on "Sustainable Urban Mobility and Transportation Planning for Better Resilience". This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring the intersection of design, planning, and resilience in the context of urban mobility and transportation.

The scientific background of this Special Issue is rooted in the growing recognition that urban mobility and transportation systems are critical components of sustainable urban development.  These systems are not only essential for economic growth and social well-being but also play a pivotal role in the resilience of cities to various shocks and stresses, such as climate change, economic downturns, and public health crises. The importance of this research area is underscored by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11, which calls for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to share innovative research findings, theories, and practices that contribute to the understanding and development of sustainable and resilient urban mobility and transportation systems.  This subject is closely aligned with the journal's scope, as it seeks to promote interdisciplinary research that can inform policy and practice, leading to more sustainable and resilient urban environments.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Integrated planning approaches: research on integrated planning methodologies that consider multiple modes of transportation, land use, and environmental sustainability.
  • Smart mobility solutions: studies on the role of smart technologies in enhancing urban mobility, including intelligent transportation systems, mobile applications, and data analytics.
  • Sustainable design principles: analyses of how sustainable design principles can be applied to urban mobility, focusing on environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
  • Design for health and well-being: research on how the design of urban mobility systems can contribute to public health and well-being, including active transportation options and green spaces.
  • Data-driven design: examinations of how data and analytics can inform the design of transportation systems, leading to more informed and effective planning decisions.
  • Eco-efficiency and green transport: analyses of transportation systems that minimize environmental impact while maintaining efficiency and accessibility.
  • Policy and governance: analyses of policies and governance structures that support sustainable and resilient urban transportation systems.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chun Yang
Prof. Dr. Rong Deng
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

  • sustainable mobility
  • transportation planning
  • smart transportation systems
  • data-driven urban planning
  • inclusive urban design
  • transportation governance
  • health and well-being design

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 4556 KiB  
Article
Development of an Integrated BIM and Traffic Simulation-Based Highway Alignment Planning and Optimization Framework
by Muhammad Arsalan Khan, Muhammad Umer Farooq, Malik Sarmad Riaz, Muhammad Umer Zubair, Waqas Arshad Tanoli and Hisham Jahangir Qureshi
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 4869; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114869 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 577
Abstract
Highway alignment optimization is critical for developing sustainable and resilient transportation infrastructure. Traditional alignment selection methods frequently fail to comprehensively account for all of the diverse factors, including geometric compliance, traffic efficiency, land use factors, environmental impacts, and cost considerations, ultimately resulting in [...] Read more.
Highway alignment optimization is critical for developing sustainable and resilient transportation infrastructure. Traditional alignment selection methods frequently fail to comprehensively account for all of the diverse factors, including geometric compliance, traffic efficiency, land use factors, environmental impacts, and cost considerations, ultimately resulting in suboptimal project outcomes. To address these challenges, this study proposes a building information modeling (BIM)-based alignment optimization framework that integrates diverse datasets, sophisticated modeling techniques, and stakeholder collaboration. The proposed framework systematically enables the user to model terrain, design geometric features, simulate traffic, and conduct cost analysis and environmental impact assessments. A case study of the Dera Ghazi Khan Northern Bypass project in Pakistan, a critical infrastructure project designed to ease congestion and enhance regional connectivity, is presented to validate the proposed framework. Three alignment alternatives were analyzed, with the optimized solution (Alignment Option 2) demonstrating a 30% reduction in congestion, a 20% decrease in travel time, and a 6.48% reduction in construction costs compared to the other alignment alternatives. These outcomes highlight the transformative potential of BIM-driven optimization to significantly enhance sustainability, cost-efficiency, and operational performance. This framework offers a scalable and adaptable model to guide future infrastructure development initiatives toward more sustainable outcomes. Full article
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26 pages, 949 KiB  
Article
How Autonomous Vehicles Shape Urban Traffic Sustainability: An Empirical Study Based on Structural Equation Modeling
by Kaiyue Li and Dongning Li
Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2589; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062589 - 15 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1329
Abstract
Currently, urban traffic flow is an increasing problem, and achieving sustainability in urban mobility is essential for enhancing both mobility and the quality of life. This study investigates the factors influencing urban traffic sustainability from two critical perspectives: autonomous vehicle policy governance and [...] Read more.
Currently, urban traffic flow is an increasing problem, and achieving sustainability in urban mobility is essential for enhancing both mobility and the quality of life. This study investigates the factors influencing urban traffic sustainability from two critical perspectives: autonomous vehicle policy governance and citizen perception. By utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), this study analyzes data from 502 valid responses gathered through online surveys. The findings reveal that, from the citizen perception perspective, both accessibility and safety play a significant role in advancing urban traffic sustainability, while smart mobility modes were found to have no substantial impact. From a policy governance standpoint, land transportation planning did not significantly influence citizens’ perceptions of accessibility, safety, or smart mobility. In contrast, vehicle management measures were positively correlated with these dimensions. Furthermore, the scope of service point support was found to enhance accessibility and smart mobility but did not have a noteworthy effect on safety. Vehicle deployment allocation, however, was positively associated with improvements in accessibility, safety, and smart mobility. This study offers valuable insights for urban traffic policy formulation, emphasizing the pivotal role of regulatory frameworks, vehicle management strategies, and urban infrastructure in fostering sustainable urban mobility. Full article
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