Restricting Traffic into the City Centre: Has Madrid Central Been Effective to Reduce NO 2 Levels?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Salas ◽  
María José Pérez Villadóniga ◽  
Juan Prieto Rodríguez ◽  
Ana Russo
Keyword(s):  
City Centre ◽  
The City

What Makes a City Bikeable? A Study of Intercity and Intracity Patterns of Bicycle Ridership using Mobike Big Data Records

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-75
Author(s):  
Ying Long ◽  
Jianting Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Average Distance ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Rating System ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Usage Frequency ◽  
Share Data ◽  
The City

This paper examines how mass ridership data can help describe cities from the bikers' perspective. We explore the possibility of using the data to reveal general bikeability patterns in 202 major Chinese cities. This process is conducted by constructing a bikeability rating system, the Mobike Riding Index (MRI), to measure bikeability in terms of usage frequency and the built environment. We first investigated mass ridership data and relevant supporting data; we then established the MRI framework and calculated MRI scores accordingly. This study finds that people tend to ride shared bikes at speeds close to 10 km/h for an average distance of 2 km roughly three times a day. The MRI results show that at the street level, the weekday and weekend MRI distributions are analogous, with an average score of 49.8 (range 0–100). At the township level, high-scoring townships are those close to the city centre; at the city level, the MRI is unevenly distributed, with high-MRI cities along the southern coastline or in the middle inland area. These patterns have policy implications for urban planners and policy-makers. This is the first and largest-scale study to incorporate mobile bike-share data into bikeability measurements, thus laying the groundwork for further research.

scholarly journals Understanding Spatial Variability of NO2 in Urban Areas Using Spatial Modelling and Data Fusion Approaches

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 179
Author(s):  
Said Munir ◽  
Martin Mayfield ◽  
Daniel Coca
Keyword(s):  
Data Fusion ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Dispersion Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Spatial Modelling ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
The City

Small-scale spatial variability in NO2 concentrations is analysed with the help of pollution maps. Maps of NO2 estimated by the Airviro dispersion model and land use regression (LUR) model are fused with measured NO2 concentrations from low-cost sensors (LCS), reference sensors and diffusion tubes. In this study, geostatistical universal kriging was employed for fusing (integrating) model estimations with measured NO2 concentrations. The results showed that the data fusion approach was capable of estimating realistic NO2 concentration maps that inherited spatial patterns of the pollutant from the model estimations and adjusted the modelled values using the measured concentrations. Maps produced by the fusion of NO2-LCS with NO2-LUR produced better results, with r-value 0.96 and RMSE 9.09. Data fusion adds value to both measured and estimated concentrations: the measured data are improved by predicting spatiotemporal gaps, whereas the modelled data are improved by constraining them with observed data. Hotspots of NO2 were shown in the city centre, eastern parts of the city towards the motorway (M1) and on some major roads. Air quality standards were exceeded at several locations in Sheffield, where annual mean NO2 levels were higher than 40 µg/m3. Road traffic was considered to be the dominant emission source of NO2 in Sheffield.

scholarly journals Spatio-Temporal Changes of Urban Forests and Planning Evolution in a Highly Dynamical Urban Area: The Case Study of Wrocław, Poland

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Jaworek-Jakubska ◽  
Maciej Filipiak ◽  
Adam Michalski ◽  
Anna Napierała-Filipiak
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Urban Forests ◽  
Spatial Dimension ◽  
Temporal Changes ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Socialist Economy ◽  
Urban Green Spaces ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
The City

Knowledge about urban forests in Poland is still limited, as it is primarily based on aggregate, formal data relating to the general area, ignoring the spatial dimension and informal green areas. This article describes and analyses spatio-temporal changes in the actual urban forest resources in Wrocław in 1944–2017, which covers the first period of the city’s rebuilding after its destruction during World War II and its development during the nationalised, centrally-planned socialist economy, as well as the second period of intensive and only partly controlled growth under conditions of market economy. The study is based on current and historical orthophotomaps, which were confronted with cartographic data, as well as planning documents. We found that between 1944 and 2017, the percentage contribution of informal woodlands increased tenfold (from 0.5 to 4.9% of the present total area of the city). The area occupied by such forests has grown particularly during the most recent years of the city’s intensive development. However, the forests have been increasingly fragmented. During the first period, new forest areas were also created in the immediate vicinity of the city centre, while during the second one, only in its peripheral sections. The post-war plans regarding the urban green spaces (UGS), including the current plan, are very conservative in nature. On the one hand, this means no interference with the oldest, biggest, and most valuable forest complexes, but on the other hand, insufficient consideration of the intensive built-up area expansion on former agriculture areas. Only to a limited extent did the above-mentioned plans take into account the informal woodlands, which provide an opportunity for strengthening the functional connectivity of landscape.

Historic city, tourism performance and development: The balance of social behaviours in the city of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 282-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belén Mª Castro Fernández ◽  
Rubén Camilo Lois González ◽  
Lucrezia Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Data ◽  
City Centre ◽  
City Development ◽  
Santiago De Compostela ◽  
Final Destination ◽  
City Tourism ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Historic City ◽  
The City ◽  
The Way

Santiago de Compostela is an iconic place. From the 9th century through to the present day the city has acted as the final destination of a major pilgrimage route named after it. In the article we ask ourselves how the contemporary reinvention of the pilgrimage and pilgrimages on the Way of St. James has boosted tourism development in the city. Development has been concentrated in the historic city centre and in the area around the cathedral. The importance of tourism has transformed the significance of the city itself, which acquires a magical component as a place of arrival and encounter for all kinds of visitors. The historic city has been set up in the 20th century as a destination for the Way and for cultural tourism. The buildings, particularly those connected with the pilgrimage route, become highly attractive and symbolic places and tourists carry out a number of rituals in them. They travel and enjoy Santiago as a unique experience. The study of tourism and of the tourist transformation of Santiago de Compostela is undertaken using a qualitative and quantitative method. The article analyses the heritage and symbolic value of the historic centre, together with the growth of its tourism activities. Numerical data are also provided on the perceptions and behaviour of visitors using surveys carried out by the city's Tourism Observatory.

Marketplaces and central spaces: markets and the rise of competing spatial ideals in Danish city centres, c. 1850–1900

Urban History ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 372-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
JENS TOFTGAARD
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Fish Market ◽  
Open Air Markets ◽  
The City ◽  
City Centres

ABSTRACTThe traditional open-air markets on the central squares of Danish cities were thriving in the middle of the nineteenth century. However, the markets were soon challenged by new urban ideals of the city centre as a place for shopping and capital investment. At the same time, urban reformers made efforts to improve the market trade to meet modern standards. The rivalling interests struggled over the question of modernization or relocation of the central square markets and ultimately the definition and use of the central urban space. In particular, this article will examine the struggle over the construction of a fish market hall in Odense as it serves to reveal the different conceptions of the central urban space that affected the fate of the street markets.

Design of a Remarkable Bascule Bridge Over an Historical Canal

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Cusson ◽  
Tony Mailhot
Keyword(s):  
Steel Structure ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Critical Infrastructures ◽  
Historic Site ◽  
The World ◽  
Hydraulic Cylinders ◽  
The City ◽  
Movable Bridge

<p>The Gouin bascule bridge is a 1,300 tons gigantic steel structure that allows pleasure boats to enter the Chambly Canal National Historic Site and provides access over the Richelieu river for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. As part of a project to revitalize and modernize the city centre, the architectural concept of the movable bridge will provide a landmark to this highly touristic site. There are only few examples in the world of such movable bridges with a large suspended counterweight. The challenges of the project include strict architectural criteria, fabrication and alignment of over 800 mm in diameter pins, the assembly on-site of remarkably large bridge parts and the precise balancing of the bridge.</p><p>When designing this structure, WSP made sure to consider the non-redundant aspect of some parts of the structure. Details regarding the design of the stays supporting the entire upper structure and the hydraulic cylinders initiating the rotation are described in this paper. The planning of the works in the middle of the critical infrastructures and services surrounding the bridge is explained. Since no interruption of the navigation on the canal was allowed during construction, some special considerations had to be taken with regards to the works at the foundation units.</p>

scholarly journals Quantification of an atmospheric nucleation and growth process as a single source of aerosol particles in a city

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 15007-15017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imre Salma ◽  
Veronika Varga ◽  
Zoltán Németh
Keyword(s):  
Growth Process ◽  
Particle Number ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Single Source ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Early Afternoon ◽  
The City

Abstract. Effects of a new aerosol particle formation (NPF) and particle diameter growth process as a single source of atmospheric particle number concentrations were evaluated and quantified on the basis of experimental data sets obtained from particle number size distribution measurements in the city centre and near-city background of Budapest for 5 years. Nucleation strength factors for a nucleation day (NSFNUC) and for a general day (NSFGEN) were derived separately for seasons and full years. The former characteristic represents the concentration increment of ultrafine (UF) particles specifically on nucleation days with respect to accumulation-mode (regional background) concentrations (particles with equivalent diameters of 100–1000 nm; N100−1000) due solely to the nucleation process. The latter factor expresses the contribution of nucleation to particle numbers on general days; thus, it represents a longer time interval such as season or year. The nucleation source had the largest effect on the concentrations around noon and early afternoon, as expected. During this time interval, it became the major source of particles in the near-city background. Nucleation increased the daily mean concentrations on nucleation days by mean factors of 2.3 and 1.58 in the near-city background and city centre, respectively. Its effect was largest in winter, which was explained by the substantially lower N100−1000 levels on nucleation days than those on non-nucleation days. On an annual timescale, 37 % of the UF particles were generated by nucleation in the near-city background, while NPF produced 13 % of UF particles in the city centre. The differences among the annual mean values, and among the corresponding seasonal mean values, were likely caused by the variability in controlling factors from year to year. The values obtained represent the lower limits of the contributions. The shares determined imply that NPF is a non-negligible or substantial source of particles in near-city background environments and even in city centres, where the vehicular road emissions usually prevail. Atmospheric residence time of nucleation-mode particles was assessed by a decay curve analysis, and a mean of 02:30 was obtained. The present study suggests that the health-related consequences of the atmospheric NPF and growth process in cities should also be considered in addition to its urban climate implications.

scholarly journals Interfaces and divisions in the Dublin Docklands 'Smart District'

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam James Heaphy
Keyword(s):  
Urban Form ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Divisions ◽  
Port Area ◽  
Networking Technologies ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City

The study of physical and social divisions in divided societies has long been an area of study, such as the continued usage of 'peace walls' in Belfast, hostile architecture to prevent anti-social behaviour and rough sleeping, and the securitisation of private spaces. In the context of a new drive to create a smart district, this paper looks at the relationship between smart urbanism and planning, and at the spatial and social divisions between a new 'gentrifying' and well-educated community in the Dublin Docklands and established communities in the area. The Dublin Docklands redevelopment marks a significant break from a pattern of suburbanisation and inner-city decline and repurposes part of the former port area as a city centre extension. The paper accounts for the reshaping of the Dublin Docklands as a ‘smart district’ in collaboration with the city authorities, based on over thirty semi-structured interviews and participant-observation at consultation events. It argues that reductive definitions of smart cities as networking technologies be reworked into broader considerations on urban technologies and the future of cities, with greater emphasis on the relationship between technologies branded as ‘smart’ and the material and digital manifestation of boundaries in urban form.

scholarly journals PERGESERAN MAKNA FILOSOFIS ALUN-ALUN KOTA BANDUNG PADA ABAD XIX – ABAD XXI

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Miftahul Falah ◽  
Agusmanon Yuniadi ◽  
Rina Adyawardhina
Keyword(s):  
Open Field ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Sacred Space ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Tourist Destination ◽  
Historical Method ◽  
Public Open Space ◽  
The City ◽  
City Park

Sebagai kota yang dibangun dengan mempertimbangkan aspek kosmologis, alun-alun merupakan salah satu elemen pembentuk Kota Bandung sejak menjadi pusat pemerintahan Kabupaten Bandung pada 25 September 1810. Alun-alun Kota Bandung mengalami perubahan fungsi, dari titik batas ruang profan dan ruang sakral menjadi ruang terbuka publik sehingga makna filosofisnya mengalami pergeseran. Untuk memahami perubahan tersebut secara kronologis, dilakukan penelitian historis dengan menerapkan metode sejarah yang terdiri dari empat tahap, yaitu heuristik, kritik, interpretasi, dan historiografi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dalam perkembangannya, warga Kota Bandung tidak lagi memandang alun-alun sebagai salah satu elemen penyeimbang antara makrokosmos dan mikrokosmos, melainkan sebagai ruang terbuka publik tempat bersosialisasi seluruh warga kota. Fungsi Alun-alun Kota Bandung menunjukkan perubahan, dari sebuah lapangan terbuka dengan fungsi administratif kota tradisional hingga menjadi sebuah taman kota yang menjadi destinasi wisata di pusat kota sehingga memperlihatkan fungsi sosial-ekonomi.As a city that was built which takes the cosmological aspect into consideration, the square is one of the elements that formed the city of Bandung since becoming the capital of Bandung Regency on September 25, 1810. Its changing functions, which were traditionally perceived as a boundary of profane and sacred space into modern public open space, reflected a shifting in philosophical meaning. To understand the changes chronologically, this paper uses historical method which consists of four stages, namely, heuristics, critique, interpretation, and historiography. The results show that gradually the citizens of Bandung no longer look at the city square as one of the elements of the balance between the macrocosm and microcosm, but rather as a place for community gatherings. Its function changes from an open field with the administrative role of the traditional city into a city park that became a tourist destination in the city centre with socio-economic functions.

scholarly journals Headquarters of Large Enterprises in the Spatial Structure of Major Polish Cities

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 178-193
Author(s):  
Przemysław Śleszyński
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Spatial Structure ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
High Order ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Spatial Concentration ◽  
The Public ◽  
Large Company ◽  
Central Business Districts ◽  
The City

The paper is based on the author’s monograph (Śleszyński, 2008). It presents the analysis of enterprise headquarters’ locations in eight largest Polish cities (Warsaw, Szczecin, The Tricity [Gdańsk–Gdynia–Sopot], Poznań, Łódź, Wrocław, Katowice and Krakow). The study primarily involved data from the Hoppenstedt Bonnier database for the year 2004, concerning 3810 entities whose overall revenue exceeded the minimum of 15.6 million PLN. The businesses were analysed in terms of their location with respect to the city centre, as well as the differentiation of revenues, line of business and ownership structure. The analyses helped in the formulation of the basic regularities of the location distribution. For instance, it was found that spatial concentration is most significant in the case of the largest enterprises, the public sector and more advanced businesses, particularly high-order services.The location of large company headquarters, as well as their mutual connections, performs one of the key roles (or even the most important one) in the development of Central Business Districts in Polish cities during transformation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document