Search Results (26)

Smart city mobility is increasingly governed by a techno-solutionist logic that prizes data, automation, and efficiency, often at the expense of public trust, social legitimacy, and lived experience. This article argues that the fate of a mobility transition appears to depend less on the sophistication of the technology than on the pace and posture of change. Building on the CalmMobility framework and on Weiser and Brown’s concept of calm technology, it develops the idea of calm smart mobility—a human-paced, options-first approach in which innovation enters everyday life gradually and with credible alternatives already in place, so that residents are not asked to continuously adapt. The framework’s three pillars (Comprehensiveness; Pacing–Sequencing–Inclusion; Future-Readiness) are mapped onto four recurring challenges of smart mobility (Policy Layering, Affective Mismatch, Governance Silos, and the Future-Readiness Gap) and then used as a descriptive analytical lens to characterize seven documented implementations across economic, spatial, mass-transit, service, and platform interventions and four world regions: the Stockholm congestion charge, the London ULEZ expansion, the Barcelona superblocks, Bogotá’s TransMilenio bus rapid transit and Ciclovía, Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon restoration and bus reform, Helsinki’s Whim Mobility-as-a-Service, and Sidewalk Toronto. Presented through a comparison table, a positioning map, and adoption trajectories rather than rankings, the characterization suggests that the provision of alternatives, the sequencing and pace of change, and the genuineness of co-creation are more closely associated with smooth adoption than the type of instrument deployed. The article is conceptual and framework-building. The cases illustrate and probe the framework instead of validating it, and a testable central hypothesis is specified for future empirical work. Calm smart mobility is offered as a transferable, citizen-centred logic for guiding smart city mobility transitions at a human pace. Full article

As a result of China’s rapid urbanization, new urban districts are characterized by a superblock development paradigm that contrasts sharply with core urban areas, where service facilities remain largely congruent with the population distribution. This planning approach has resulted in a pronounced spatial mismatch, with an intensive concentration of public service facilities within commercial cores and a critical lack of facilities proximate to high-density residential clusters. Within the framework of the 15 min community life circle policy, evaluating and optimizing these configurations is imperative for mitigating such structural imbalances. Using Xi’an’s Qujiang New District as a representative empirical case, this study integrates Point of Interest (POI) geospatial data with 330 resident behavioral questionnaires to assess facility distribution and utilization patterns. The findings reveal a distinct spatial pattern of core–periphery polarization, which is significantly influenced by cultural landscapes and commercial land values. Furthermore, the utilization patterns differ markedly across age groups. The reliance of young and middle-aged groups on digital life circles should be viewed not only as a lifestyle preference but also as an adaptation to mitigate physical facility deficits. While digital services compensate for physical facility shortages, they mask the actual lack of community spaces. This further disadvantages older adults, who still rely heavily on walking to access daily services. Addressing the unique characteristics of new urban districts, this study proposes a synergistic physical–digital dual-tier system in which physical infrastructure safeguards the equity baseline, while digital platforms enhance operational efficiency, providing a scientific basis for constructing age-friendly communities. Full article

Contemporary urbanisation in hot-arid cities presents coupled challenges related to sustainability, spatial efficiency, and climate resilience. This study applies Research by Design as a preliminary methodological approach to adapt the superblock typology for Riyadh’s Al-Raed neighbourhood, integrating GIS-based territorial diagnosis with Grasshopper parametric iterations. Sixteen geospatial layers, including land use, density, road hierarchy, transit access, service distribution, green cover, and climatic exposure, inform attractor-based scenario generation and a structured comparative evaluation framework assessing regulatory compliance, human scale, connectivity, and environmental and economic feasibility. The resulting loop-and-courtyard configuration reorganises local streets to strengthen first- and last-mile access, shaded pedestrian continuity, and microclimatic comfort, while supporting Saudi Vision 2030 programs, such as the Quality of Life Program, National Transport and Logistics Strategy, Riyadh Public Transport Program, and Saudi Green Initiative. Quantitative spatial indicators are interpreted alongside design-based morphological reasoning to inform spatial decisions, acknowledging climatic and cultural constraints. This study contributes a reproducible, policy-relevant digital workflow for neighborhood-scale urban transformation in Riyadh and comparable hot-arid contexts. As a preliminary Research by Design phase, it structures iterative scenarios and a structured comparative evaluation framework, providing a foundation for subsequent quantitative and empirical validation. Full article

Public spaces are a key element of sustainable urbanism, influencing both quality of life and ecological stability. Using examples from Barcelona, Copenhagen, and Niš, the article identifies proven strategies—such as Superblocks, cycling infrastructure, and the use of GIS and AI—whose application may support the transformation of public spaces in Czech cities. Full article

Urban sustainability has increasingly emphasized accessibility and inclusivity, reflecting the growing recognition that urban planning must address the diverse needs of different social groups. In recent decades, several developed countries have pioneered inclusive urban planning, resulting in projects such as Vienna’s gender mainstreaming community and Barcelona’s Superblocks, which respond to differentiated needs in housing, transportation, and public space. However, these initiatives demonstrate how sustainable urban planning can enhance social equity and livability. Similar efforts in developing countries remain limited, fragmented, or nonexistent. This study examines representative cases from developed nations to discern fundamental principles and strategies that underpin effective inclusive urban planning. The study utilizes a case study and comparative analytic approach to clarify aspects such as transportation accessibility, safety, multifunctional community, and public space. The results suggest that incorporating inclusion into sustainable planning frameworks can enhance accessibility, promote social justice, and improve environmental resilience. The paper concludes by offering realistic, grounded suggestions for developing countries based on established best practices from around the world. The suggestions focus on strategies that can be tailored to each country’s social, cultural, and economic conditions. Full article

Continuous technological, ecological, and digital transformations reshape urban mobility systems. While sustainable mobility has become a dominant keyword, there are many different approaches and policies to help achieve lasting and properly functioning change. This study applies a comprehensive qualitative policy analysis to influential and leading sustainable mobility approaches (i.a. Mobility Justice, Avoid–Shift–Improve, spatial models like the 15-Minute City and Superblocks, governance frameworks such as SUMPs, and tools ranging from economic incentives to service architectures like MaaS and others). Each was assessed across structural barriers, psychological resistance, governance constraints, and affective dimensions. The results show that, although these approaches provide clear normative direction, measurable impacts, and scalable applicability, their implementation is often undermined by fragmentation, Policy Layering, limited intermodality, weak Future-Readiness, and insufficient participatory engagement. Particularly, the lack of sequencing and pacing mechanisms leads to policy silos and societal resistance. The analysis highlights that the main challenge is not the absence of solutions but the absence of a unifying paradigm. To address this gap, the paper introduces CalmMobility, a conceptual framework that integrates existing strengths while emphasizing comprehensiveness, pacing–sequencing–inclusion, and Future-Readiness. CalmMobility offers adaptive and co-created pathways for mobility transitions, grounded in education, open innovation, and a calm, deliberate approach. Rather than being driven by hasty or disruptive change, it seeks to align technological and spatial innovations with societal expectations, building trust, legitimacy, and long-term resilience of sustainable mobility. Full article

The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) has implemented various policies to reduce car use and promote more sustainable mobility. Initiatives such as superblocks, Low Emission Zones (LEZs), and the Bicivia network aim to transform the urban model in response to environmental and congestion challenges. However, the high reliance on private vehicles for intermunicipal travel, uneven infrastructure, and social resistance to certain changes remain significant issues. This study examines the evolution of mobility patterns and assesses the effectiveness of the above policies in fostering real and sustainable change. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, which combined an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of 2011–2024 data, trend linear regression, and a comparative international analysis. The EFA identified four key structural dimensions: traditional transport infrastructure, active mobility and bus lines, public bicycles and mixed use, and transport efficiency and punctuality. The findings reveal a clear reduction in private car use and an increase in sustainable modes of transport. This indicates that there are prospects for future transformation. Nonetheless, challenges persist in intermunicipal mobility and the public acceptance of the measures. This study provides empirical and comparative evidence and emphasizes the need for integrated metropolitan governance to achieve a resilient and sustainable urban model. Full article

The present study contributes to narrowing down the research gap in modeling individual door-to-door trips in a superblock scenario and in evaluating the respective impacts in terms of travel times, modal shifts, traffic performance, and environmental benefits. The methods used are a multiple-criteria approach to identify the superblocks and a large-scale, multi-model, activity-based microscopic simulation. These methods were applied to the city of Bologna, Italy, where 49 feasible superblocks were identified. A previous large-scale microscopic traffic model of Bologna is leveraged to build a baseline scenario. A superblock scenario is then created to model five proposed traffic intervention measures. Several mobility benefit indicators at both citywide and superblock levels are compared. The simulation results indicate a significant increase in walking time for car drivers, while the average waiting time of bus users decreases due to the increased frequency of bus services. This leads to a noticeable car-to-bus shift. In addition, absolute traffic volumes and traffic-related emissions decreased significantly. Surprisingly, traffic volumes on the roads around the superblocks did not increase as expected. In general, this research provides scientists and urban and transport planners with insights into how changes in door-to-door travel times of multi-modal trips can impact individual travel behavior and traffic performance at a citywide level. However, the study still has limitations in modeling the long-term effects regarding changing activity locations within the superblocks. Full article

The UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for the provision of universal access to: (a) safe, inclusive, and accessible green and public spaces, and (b) safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all. The Barcelona green axes plan aims to transform one third of the streets within its 19th century extension grid, increasing the tree cover and the vegetation, adopting sustainable urban drainage systems, limiting motor traffic, and providing a safer and more comfortable environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and other social activities in healthier environments. These transformations become even greater at the intersection of the axes, where former traffic junctions are becoming squares and urban gardens. This study gives an in-depth analysis of the origins of the superblocks plan, the rationale behind the transformation, and the implementation process. The GIS-based analysis shows how the green axes and the new square gardens (a) transform the city’s disconnected urban green areas into a more interconnected green infrastructure system, and (b) significantly increase accessibility to green areas. The study reveals this strategy’s potential to create a city of proximity, improve the well-being of the population, and build a more equitable city, which could be a useful tool for planning and decision making at both city and regional levels. Full article

Superblocks can help to transform urban areas into pedestrian-centric neighborhoods. First launched in Barcelona, Spain, they are expected to reduce harmful environmental exposures, increase green space access and thereby provide substantial health benefits. However, few studies have examined the practicality and likely benefits of implementing Superblocks in other metropolitan areas. We developed a methodological framework to build a generalizable City of Los Angeles (LA) Superblocks Model and evaluate the predicted health benefits that would follow such an intervention. We derived and used five rules to guide the choice of arterial streets and candidate blocks and the choice of major bounding streets that could facilitate mobility across the metropolitan area. We next used the BenMap-CE model to perform a quantitative assessment of the health and economic benefits that would accompany five scenarios that would transform 5–50% of the residential areas in the City of LA to Superblocks. We found that the creation of superblocks resulted in significant reductions in hospital admissions and significant economic savings. The benefits were strongest when 5–10% of residential areas were transformed, but rapidly decreased as the threshold reached 30%. These results will help stakeholders determine the optimal balance between reduced car traffic and improved health outcomes. Moreover, we illustrated how to develop a Superblocks model for a highly versatile and populated metropolitan area like the City of LA and how the model can be used to assess the potential health benefits and benchmark the relationship between the scale of the Superblock implementation and the accompanying health benefits moving forward. Full article

Over the past decades, China has built a large number of superblocks and gated residential areas, which have contributed to increased congestion on urban road traffic. Although some studies have found a correlation between residential environments and travel convenience, there is little quantitative evidence to explain which factors influence the connectivity of road networks. This paper aims to clarify the indicators of built environments in Chinese residential areas that affect travel accessibility and their correlation proportions through a more quantitative method and to provide a basis for planning and design decisions. To this end, this study took 204 residential areas in the three districts of Nanjing, China as a sample and calculated 16 built-environment indicators. The path distance (D) and pedestrian route directness (PRD) from the center of these residential areas to the nearest urban intersection were measured by GIS as outcome variables. First, correlation analysis was used to screen for significant variables, and multiple linear regression models were used to examine the significant influencing factors of D and PRD. Then, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed to provide a model that could determine whether the built environment of the residential area met the requirements for convenient travel. The results revealed that the length of the long side, the area size, and the total road length of the residential area were significantly related to D, and the number of entrances and exits, the intersection density, and the X ratio were significantly related to PRD. The indicators that were positively correlated with D were the size, network complexity, and the boundary shape of the residential area according to the degree of correlation. Meanwhile, other indicators such as the density and connectivity of the residential road network were negatively correlated with D. Full article

This paper uses quantitative methods to evaluate the application of street connectivity policies stated by Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council (UPC) on newly developed projects. The evaluation of the study was performed by measuring efficiency, i.e., how short and direct are paths between residential and nonresidential destinations to understand the ability of street networks to support sustainable transportation modes in the Capital District project. Efficiency is measured in twelve neighborhoods of the Capital District using Pedestrian Route Directness (PRD), a metric that meets Estidama—Abu Dhabi Green Rating System—walkability standards. Observation and analysis of the current stage of development show that more than 58% of the neighborhoods failed the route efficiency test to connect residential plots to one another. In addition, more than 40% of the neighborhood’s residential plots could not efficiently connect to nonresidential plots. The study includes recommendations for policymakers and project developers to enhance the street infrastructure to correlate with Estidama ratings by taking advantage of sikkak, the alleyways system that is found in other neighborhoods in the city. Significantly, recommendations are based on rigorous quantitative analyses that can be used for implementation in real-world projects, thus strengthening the connection between policy and practice. Full article

Localization of suspicious moving objects in dynamic environments requires high accuracy mapping. A deep learning model is proposed to track crossing moving objects in the opposite direction. Moving objects locus measurements are computed from the space included in the boundaries of the images in the intersecting cameras. Object appearance is designated by the color and textural histograms in the intersecting camera views. The incorrect mapping of moving objects in a dynamic environment through synchronized localization can be considerably increased in complex areas. This is done due to the presence of unfit points that are triggered by moving targets. To face this problem, a robust model using the dynamic province rejection technique (DPR) is presented. We are proposing a novel model that incorporates a combination of the deep learning method and a tracking system that rejects dynamic areas which are not within the environment boundary of interest. The technique detects the dynamic points from sequential video images and partitions the current video image into super blocks and tags the border differences. In the last stage, dynamic areas are computed from dynamic points and superblock boundaries. Static regions are utilized to compute the positions to enhance the path computation precision of the model. Simulation results show that the introduced model has better performance than the state-of-the-art similar models in both the VID and MOVSD4 datasets and is higher than the state-of-the-art tracking systems with better speed performance. The experiments prove that the computed path error in the dynamic setting can be decreased by 81%. Full article

In 2014, some scholars showed that every 2-connected claw-free graph G with independence number $\alpha \left(G\right)\le 3$ is Hamiltonian with one exception of family of graphs. If a nontrivial path contains only internal vertices of degree two and end vertices of degree not two, then we call it a branch. A set S of branches of a graph G is called a branch cut if we delete all edges and internal vertices of branches of S leading to more components than G. We use a branch bond to denote a minimal branch cut. If a branch-bond has an odd number of branches, then it is called odd. In this paper, we shall characterize all 2-connected claw-free graphs G such that every odd branch-bond of G has an edge branch and such that $\alpha \left(G\right)\le 5$ but has no 2-factor. We also consider the same problem for those 2-edge-connected claw-free graphs with $\alpha \left(G\right)\le 4$. Full article

The Casco Viejo of Panama is an area with great potential to develop a pedestrian zone, as it is an attractive area for travelers to visit. For this development to be carried out safely, it is recommended that the site is analyzed based on superblock criteria to ensure pedestrians can move through the streets in a free and accessible way regardless of their physical condition. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the current state of the road infrastructure, as we did in this research. The methodology consisted of field visits where information was gathered on the distribution of space so that ideal routes for pedestrian tourists could be ensured. We surveyed the state of the sidewalks, their physical condition, minimum widths, heights, their accessibility, and the presence of obstacles that block movement from one point to another. We also assessed the characteristics of the roads, safe crossings and signs, the current management of parking in illegal areas, and the system of public transport routes. The results describe the current problems, which are, firstly, the issue of poor pedestrian and cyclist mobility due to the lack of space available on public roads as a result of poorly parked cars and the placement of bollards. Secondly, free movement is impossible for the disabled due to the absence of ramps and railings, which prevents the integration of this group in the area. Full article