Urban morphogenesis analysis based on geohistorical road data

Abstract

Road networks result from a subtle balance between geographical coverage and rapid access to strategic points. An understanding of their structure is fundamental when it comes to evaluating and improving territorial accessibility. This study is designed to provide insight into the progressive structuring of territorial patterns by analyzing the evolution of road networks. Studying road network morphogenesis requires geohistorical data, provided here by historical maps from which earlier road networks can be digitized. A hypergraph is constructed from these networks by combining road segments into “ways” on the basis of a method for defining the continuity of road segments. Next, indicators are computed for these ways based on topological and geometrical features. The road patterns of three cities in the Burgundy Franche-Comte region of France (Dijon, Besançon, and Pontarlier) at three historical periods (the 18th, 19th, and twentieth centuries) are then analyzed. In this manner, their topological features and centrality characteristics can be compared from snapshots at different times and places. The innovative method proposed in this paper helps us to read features of the road patterns accurately and to make simple interpretations. It can be applied to any territory for which data is available. The results highlight the underlying structure of the three cities, reveal information about the history and the functioning of the networks, and give preliminary insights into the morphogenesis of those cities. Prospectively this work aims to identify the mechanisms that drive change in road networks. Detecting stability or variation in indicators over time can help in identifying similar behavior, despite geographic and cultural distances, as well as evolution mechanisms linked to specificities of each city. The study of road network morphogenesis can make a major contribution to understanding how road network structure affects accessibility and mobility.

The Capacity Analysis of a Bypass with Paved Shoulder, in Bhawanipatna, Western Odisha

“…Urban road morphogenesis is diligently allied with its central and structuring components, directionally biased, mobility, and ease of access. Ring roads can ameliorate traffic congestion, reduces road traffic accidents, increase overall travel time, reduces unintended issues of health, and protect the environment (Thomson et al, [4], Lee et al, [5], Wang et al, [6], Hatab et al, [7], Dey et al, [8], Raju et al, [9], Gouj et al, [10]) Bypasses are road circumvents for small sized considered to be the cheaper, and more effective tool to reduce traffic congestion within a city by diverting heavy cargo traffic that causes unwanted environmental, social, and land use bearings, like pollution, accidents, deaths, pandemics, crashes, GHG's, fumes, noise, and vibration (Goyal et al, [11], Kumar et al, [12], Bagh et al, [13], Loo et al, [14].…”

Road Safety of Agglomerating Cities in India– Bhubaneswar

“…The proper developmental planning and its execution must be practiced with the help of spatial use of satellite data for focussing on road plans and extensions as per our requirement. Transportation and planning should be performed as an integral part of road development that could further aid in appropriate urban shaping without interfering with the growth of each other [15]. The Vulnerable Road Users (VRU), like pedestrians, are cyclists, and should not be missed in the planning and design of ameliorative processes like a track for cyclists, footpaths, Rubberized asphalt mixtures, robots for traffic management, etc.…”

“…Finally, as a social triumph against TRCs, the education, engineering, enforcement & emergency care of road accident victims against (4E's) advocated. However, emergency retorts and HCU attendances play a vital role to save breaths for road crash victims [15,30].…”

Network Analysis of Road Traffic Crash and Rescue Operations in Federal Capital City

“…This is also true in a country like Nigeria, where cities like Abuja, Lagos, Kano and all the other major cities are experiencing continuous growth in terms of population and built-up areas. Among the three morphological entities that form the city (road network, parcels and buildings, road layout is the most permanent over time [6]. The cities being the hub of business activities are facing ever-increasing vehicular movement, which results in multifaceted traffic problems such as RTC and peak hours' congestion among others.…”