The Relationships between Density of the Built Environment and Road Network Efficiency: A Case Study

Abstract

Cities developed along with advances in civilization over time and especially focused on efficiency of transportation systems. The positive interaction of road networks and the built environment promotes the formation of safe, practical, and sustainable spatial territories. Understanding how density of built environment can influence traffic performance is crucial for informed decision-making in urban planning. To address these questions, we developed an analytical approach to investigate the relationships between road networks and diverse density of urban public facilities. We conducted spatial statistical analysis of road networks and urban expansion, and systematically analyzed their distribution characteristics. The results show that the structural characteristics of road networks are strongly related to the architecture, providing valuable insights into the improvement of existing transportation systems. The street intersections, where traffic flows converge and diverge, are particularly crowded in the city center and require careful planning and execution to ensure not only smooth traffic flows, but also the safety of all traffic participants. In the areas that may be overcrowded, high-density and one-way road network will be more useful than alternative routes. In suburbs, relatively low density and large-scale road networks are more suitable. The explored correlation between urban expansion and the characteristics of road networks is an important reference for future strategic planning and urban design.