A GIS-Based Walkable Service Area Analysis from Smart Growth Perspective in the city of Edirne

Authors

  • Rumeysa Ceylan Yildiz Technical University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30562/jmrs.v1i1.17503

Keywords:

Smart Growth, walkability, GIS science, sustainability, Edirne

Abstract

Today it is generally agreed that one of the most important problems of many cities is uncontrolled urbanization. Different approaches have been tried to investigate how cities should be developed. Among these approaches, the Smart Growth movement initially emerged as a response to all of the negative externalities (environmental corruption, rising costs, poor infrastructure, and operational and maintenance issues) resulting from urban sprawl. The Smart Growth approach is based upon 10 main principles. Among these principles, “creating walkable environments” plays a crucial role in promoting society’s health, relating to both physical and mental conditions. Moreover, walkable areas stimulate revitalization of public spaces, open space, and local shops. From the perspective of Smart Growth, evidence has shown that there is excessive use of the automobile, which dramatically increased greenhouse gas emissions in many cities, including the city of Edirne in Turkey. However, the topography of the city is quite suitable for walking and cycling trips. The main purpose of this paper is to measure walkability in Edirne City and to identify areas with low walkability scores. In this way, the quality of pedestrian facilities, safety, and the comfort of walking can be increased. Different methodologies exist in the literature for walkability analysis. One of them, Walkable Service Area Analysis (WSAA), is a spatial network analysis based on a Geographic Information System (GIS). ArcGIS software from the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) has been used to perform WSAA in this article. Through the GIS-based walkability analysis and using the calculated index, the walkability scores of neighborhoods were determined and the results have been classified into five categories (not walkable, low walkable, medium walkable, high walkable, and exceptionally walkable) in the city of Edirne.

Author Biography

Rumeysa Ceylan, Yildiz Technical University

Received her B.Cp. in City and Regional Planning from Yildiz Technical University in 2014. Thaen, She graduated from Yildiz Technical University, Urban Transformation and Planning Master Program in 2016. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Urban Planning at the same university. She also works as a Phd cantidate at the European Union project (Community Data Loops for Energy Efficient Urban Lifestyles).

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Published

2018-06-15

How to Cite

Ceylan, R. (2018). A GIS-Based Walkable Service Area Analysis from Smart Growth Perspective in the city of Edirne. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research in Sustainability, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.30562/jmrs.v1i1.17503