By Yen Yat

Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, Summer 2019

Published by SAGE Publishing

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2399808319857726 

Brief Introduction:

Street network analysis is a growing area in sustainable transportation research. Most academic papers on the topic have, so far, been concentrated in Europe and America, with less attention paid to rapidly-growing cities in low-income nations. This is problematic as transportation networks are today changing with exceptional speed in developing countries, and the impact of misguided transportation policies (including air pollution and road traffic casualties) is particularly acute. Metrics on the performance of street networks could help inform policy. This paper, written by CKS Senior Fellow Dr. Yen Yat, uses the Python package OSMnx to analyze and evaluate street networks in twelve districts of the city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia from OpenStreetMap. Results suggest that topological and geometric characteristics of street networks are more conducive to walking and biking in the central districts than in the peripheral districts. The central districts are also better connected to core network corridors. To promote sustainable urban mobility, new developments and street renewals should be incorporated facilities, services, and safety of walking and biking. Some policy implications are suggested for future designs of the Phnom Penh’s street networks to increase livability and sustainability. The full text of the paper can be accessed here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2399808319857726