Urban gardening has become more and more popular in recent years, as people might prefer to grow their own vegetables from controlled sources. In addition, community building also plays a key role. However, air pollution in settlements is a serious hazard affecting the quality of home-grown vegetables. During the vegetation period, traffic is the main factor generating atmospheric particulate matter. These particles will, in turn, bind to potentially toxic compounds, of which heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most widely studied and discussed. In addition to their potential toxicity, both groups contain carcinogenic species. Heavy metals, as well as PAHs, are capable of bioaccumulation, depending on the element or compound’s characteristics and the vegetable species. Some leafy vegetables can accumulate these toxic materials in significant quantities. As dietary uptake is considered the major exposure route of both heavy metals and PAHs, the consumption of impacted vegetables might even pose human health risks. This recent review summarises available data reported on heavy metal and PAH accumulation in urban environments, specified by vegetable species. Also, the assessment of possible human impact is given.
{"title":"Urban Gardening—How Safe Is It?","authors":"K. Hubai, N. Kováts, B. Eck-Varanka","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030091","url":null,"abstract":"Urban gardening has become more and more popular in recent years, as people might prefer to grow their own vegetables from controlled sources. In addition, community building also plays a key role. However, air pollution in settlements is a serious hazard affecting the quality of home-grown vegetables. During the vegetation period, traffic is the main factor generating atmospheric particulate matter. These particles will, in turn, bind to potentially toxic compounds, of which heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most widely studied and discussed. In addition to their potential toxicity, both groups contain carcinogenic species. Heavy metals, as well as PAHs, are capable of bioaccumulation, depending on the element or compound’s characteristics and the vegetable species. Some leafy vegetables can accumulate these toxic materials in significant quantities. As dietary uptake is considered the major exposure route of both heavy metals and PAHs, the consumption of impacted vegetables might even pose human health risks. This recent review summarises available data reported on heavy metal and PAH accumulation in urban environments, specified by vegetable species. Also, the assessment of possible human impact is given.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"119 32","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141822264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The practice of stormwater management has evolved from a singular focus on drainage to a multifaceted approach to support the integrated urban development of healthy, livable, ecological, and water sensitive cities from neighborhood to metropolitan scales. A review of the knowledge base and practice by the professional stormwater management community shows attributes that favor an integrative approach to achieve co-benefits across sectors. Research into stormwater management addresses its functional areas of drainage, flood control, flood plain management, water quality control, urban ecology, recreation, and city beautification. Legacy path dependance affects the potential to reform land use practices, while stormwater management practice is affected by climate change, sea level rise, urbanization, inequality, and poor governance. This review shows a status where technical methods are well advanced but integrative frameworks to address social, ecological and infrastructure needs are more challenging. The sensitivity of ecological issues is most evident in cities in coastal zones. Organizational initiatives are needed to counter the neglect of essential maintenance and sustain flood risk reduction in cities. Stormwater management is related to other integrative tools, including IWRM, One Water, One Health, and Integrated Flood Management, as well as the broader concept of urban planning. This research review demonstrates the opportunities and needs for the advancement of an integrated approach to stormwater management to support urban development. Stormwater capture and rainfall harvesting offer major opportunities to augment scarce water supplies. Nature-based solutions like low-impact development and the sponge city concept show promise to transform cities. Major cities face challenges to sustain conveyance corridors for major flows and to store and treat combined sewer runoff. The neighborhood focus of stormwater management elevates the importance of participation and inclusion to advance environmental justice and strengthen social capital. Integrating organizational initiatives from local to city scales and funding improvements to stormwater systems are major challenges that require leadership from higher governance levels, although governments face resistance to change toward integration, especially in countries with poor land use and public works management systems. Finding solutions to neighborhood issues and the connectivity of water systems at larger scales requires complex approaches to urban planning and represent an important agenda for urban and water governance going forward.
{"title":"Stormwater Management: An Integrated Approach to Support Healthy, Livable, and Ecological Cities","authors":"Neil S. Grigg","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030089","url":null,"abstract":"The practice of stormwater management has evolved from a singular focus on drainage to a multifaceted approach to support the integrated urban development of healthy, livable, ecological, and water sensitive cities from neighborhood to metropolitan scales. A review of the knowledge base and practice by the professional stormwater management community shows attributes that favor an integrative approach to achieve co-benefits across sectors. Research into stormwater management addresses its functional areas of drainage, flood control, flood plain management, water quality control, urban ecology, recreation, and city beautification. Legacy path dependance affects the potential to reform land use practices, while stormwater management practice is affected by climate change, sea level rise, urbanization, inequality, and poor governance. This review shows a status where technical methods are well advanced but integrative frameworks to address social, ecological and infrastructure needs are more challenging. The sensitivity of ecological issues is most evident in cities in coastal zones. Organizational initiatives are needed to counter the neglect of essential maintenance and sustain flood risk reduction in cities. Stormwater management is related to other integrative tools, including IWRM, One Water, One Health, and Integrated Flood Management, as well as the broader concept of urban planning. This research review demonstrates the opportunities and needs for the advancement of an integrated approach to stormwater management to support urban development. Stormwater capture and rainfall harvesting offer major opportunities to augment scarce water supplies. Nature-based solutions like low-impact development and the sponge city concept show promise to transform cities. Major cities face challenges to sustain conveyance corridors for major flows and to store and treat combined sewer runoff. The neighborhood focus of stormwater management elevates the importance of participation and inclusion to advance environmental justice and strengthen social capital. Integrating organizational initiatives from local to city scales and funding improvements to stormwater systems are major challenges that require leadership from higher governance levels, although governments face resistance to change toward integration, especially in countries with poor land use and public works management systems. Finding solutions to neighborhood issues and the connectivity of water systems at larger scales requires complex approaches to urban planning and represent an important agenda for urban and water governance going forward.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 51","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141825438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adam Janošec, G. Chmelíková, Ivana Blažková, Kristina Somerlikova
Structurally affected regions face a necessary economic transformation, for which the efficiency of public financial support is crucial. Regional innovation systems represent a modern approach to regional and urban development focusing on innovation and research activities. The aim of this study is to assess whether there is a difference in the effect of public R&D funding on the development of a region’s innovation environment between structurally affected and other regions. The beta convergence and the method of calculating the average efficiency of public funds were used to meet the objective of this research. The analysis was conducted on data from 2012 to 2022 in 14 regions of the Czech Republic. The results show that public support for R&D has a positive effect on development of the innovation environment in structurally affected regions in the Czech Republic and that there is a difference in the effect of this support regarding structurally affected regions versus developed regions. These affected regions on average respond better to public financial support for R&D than mature regions. In contrast, the efficiency of public financial support is lower in regions with a strongly developed innovation system.
{"title":"Regional Innovation Systems as a Remedy for Structurally Affected Regions—Empirical Evidence from the Czech Republic","authors":"Adam Janošec, G. Chmelíková, Ivana Blažková, Kristina Somerlikova","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030088","url":null,"abstract":"Structurally affected regions face a necessary economic transformation, for which the efficiency of public financial support is crucial. Regional innovation systems represent a modern approach to regional and urban development focusing on innovation and research activities. The aim of this study is to assess whether there is a difference in the effect of public R&D funding on the development of a region’s innovation environment between structurally affected and other regions. The beta convergence and the method of calculating the average efficiency of public funds were used to meet the objective of this research. The analysis was conducted on data from 2012 to 2022 in 14 regions of the Czech Republic. The results show that public support for R&D has a positive effect on development of the innovation environment in structurally affected regions in the Czech Republic and that there is a difference in the effect of this support regarding structurally affected regions versus developed regions. These affected regions on average respond better to public financial support for R&D than mature regions. In contrast, the efficiency of public financial support is lower in regions with a strongly developed innovation system.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 46","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141824963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Doris Esenarro, John Manosalva, Lizeth Sanchez, Carlos Vargas, Vanessa Raymundo, Jimena Ccalla
The present research aims to propose resilient urban-design strategies to mitigate the risk of landslides in Huaraz. This study addresses the growing challenge of climate change and its influence on the occurrence of avalanches in Huaraz, Peru. The methodology employed included a literature review, site analysis using digital tools, and the formulation of resilient urban-design strategies. As a result, a Master Plan for Urban Resilience is proposed, using a detailed literature review, climate studies, and topographic evaluation to design urban strategies that enhance the city’s sustainability and safety. The proposed interventions, including channel expansion, installation of gabions and containment meshes, reforestation, and strategic relocation of housing, demonstrate significant potential to reduce vulnerability to avalanches. This multidisciplinary approach underscores the necessity of integrating urban adaptations in response to extreme climate variations in the Andean regions. The proposal stands out for its innovation and resilience, precisely aligning with the unique characteristics of Huaraz. The comprehensive strategy not only focuses on urban regeneration and risk prevention but also aims to significantly improve the community’s quality of life.
{"title":"Resilient Urban-Design Strategies for Landslide Risk Mitigation in Huaraz, Peru","authors":"Doris Esenarro, John Manosalva, Lizeth Sanchez, Carlos Vargas, Vanessa Raymundo, Jimena Ccalla","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030090","url":null,"abstract":"The present research aims to propose resilient urban-design strategies to mitigate the risk of landslides in Huaraz. This study addresses the growing challenge of climate change and its influence on the occurrence of avalanches in Huaraz, Peru. The methodology employed included a literature review, site analysis using digital tools, and the formulation of resilient urban-design strategies. As a result, a Master Plan for Urban Resilience is proposed, using a detailed literature review, climate studies, and topographic evaluation to design urban strategies that enhance the city’s sustainability and safety. The proposed interventions, including channel expansion, installation of gabions and containment meshes, reforestation, and strategic relocation of housing, demonstrate significant potential to reduce vulnerability to avalanches. This multidisciplinary approach underscores the necessity of integrating urban adaptations in response to extreme climate variations in the Andean regions. The proposal stands out for its innovation and resilience, precisely aligning with the unique characteristics of Huaraz. The comprehensive strategy not only focuses on urban regeneration and risk prevention but also aims to significantly improve the community’s quality of life.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 47","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141825476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Roberto De Lotto, C. Pietra, Matilde Sessi, E. Venco
Cities require flexible and participatory planning methodologies to address complex and evolving urban challenges. In Italy, the legislative framework is defined at the regional level according to national laws and jurisprudence. The Lombardy region introduced the Planning Document (PD) in the Territorial Government Plan (PGT) as a strategic tool capable of adapting to changes. Based on a strategic vision, this document guides concrete actions for urban transformation, actively involving stakeholders, including citizens. The PD’s role is to translate the political program into an urban planning design, encompassing both technical and political dimensions. The political aspect is usually emphasized in the strategic component of the document. Following the formation process of the whole city plan, the authors define the key strategies in the PD for a healthier urban future for the city of Voghera. It emerges as a balanced urban development that combines economic growth, environmental preservation, and community well-being. In the paper, the authors synthesize Voghera’s PD as an example of strategic planning that interacts with practical planning actions and guides both public and private decisions about the city’s development toward a healthier city.
{"title":"Strategies and Actions’ Definition for the New Territorial Government Plan of Voghera, Italy: Towards a Healthier City","authors":"Roberto De Lotto, C. Pietra, Matilde Sessi, E. Venco","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030087","url":null,"abstract":"Cities require flexible and participatory planning methodologies to address complex and evolving urban challenges. In Italy, the legislative framework is defined at the regional level according to national laws and jurisprudence. The Lombardy region introduced the Planning Document (PD) in the Territorial Government Plan (PGT) as a strategic tool capable of adapting to changes. Based on a strategic vision, this document guides concrete actions for urban transformation, actively involving stakeholders, including citizens. The PD’s role is to translate the political program into an urban planning design, encompassing both technical and political dimensions. The political aspect is usually emphasized in the strategic component of the document. Following the formation process of the whole city plan, the authors define the key strategies in the PD for a healthier urban future for the city of Voghera. It emerges as a balanced urban development that combines economic growth, environmental preservation, and community well-being. In the paper, the authors synthesize Voghera’s PD as an example of strategic planning that interacts with practical planning actions and guides both public and private decisions about the city’s development toward a healthier city.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141830163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The implementation of bike-sharing systems represents a novel strategy aimed at enhancing urban mobility by offering shared bicycle services to improve accessibility and user convenience. Nevertheless, there has been a limited exploration into the user demographics of bike-sharing programs on a national scale. This study investigates the socio-demographic characteristics of bike-sharing system users, leveraging the 2017 National Household Travel Survey and negative binomial regression models. It finds that bike-sharing usage is more common among users than non-users, with African American and Hispanic individuals using the system more than other racial groups. Furthermore, low-income individuals (
{"title":"Unlocking Trends: Socio-Demographic Insights into Bike Sharing from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey","authors":"Chia-Yuan Yu","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030086","url":null,"abstract":"The implementation of bike-sharing systems represents a novel strategy aimed at enhancing urban mobility by offering shared bicycle services to improve accessibility and user convenience. Nevertheless, there has been a limited exploration into the user demographics of bike-sharing programs on a national scale. This study investigates the socio-demographic characteristics of bike-sharing system users, leveraging the 2017 National Household Travel Survey and negative binomial regression models. It finds that bike-sharing usage is more common among users than non-users, with African American and Hispanic individuals using the system more than other racial groups. Furthermore, low-income individuals (<USD 15,000) and residents of high-density areas (≥25,000 per square mile) show a higher tendency towards bike sharing. The research highlights the lack of national-level studies on bike-sharing user demographics and suggests that future policy and planning should address the needs of specific populations, aiming to enhance urban mobility and accessibility through bike-sharing services.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"12 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141640381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The determination of the appropriate traffic signal timing plans for no-notice evacuations in densely populated areas is a noteworthy challenge. The objective of this study was to evaluate alternatives that could optimize evacuee traffic flow in a no-notice evacuation of areas near an oil refinery. This simulation case study focused on a residential area in the City of Wood River, Illinois, and used Synchro 8.0 and VISSIM 7.0. This case study was different from existing evacuation literature because of the high left-turn demand from evacuating traffic. The study methods were unique because of the application of dynamic traffic assignment, a left-turn movement on the evacuation route, and the simulation of fully-actuated traffic signals. These scenarios evaluated the following: (1) existing traffic infrastructure; (2) flexible shelter choice; and (3) optimized traffic signal timing with flexible shelter choice. The results suggested that optimizing the signal timing and allowing drivers’ flexibility in choosing evacuation routes achieved the fastest evacuation. These findings indicated that a longer cycle length and an extended left-turn phase were important factors in reducing traffic delay in the network. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of operating intersections efficiently during no-notice evacuations.
{"title":"Actuated Signal Timing Optimization for a No-Notice Evacuation with High Left-Turn Demands","authors":"Md Toushik Ahmed Niloy, Ryan N. Fries","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030085","url":null,"abstract":"The determination of the appropriate traffic signal timing plans for no-notice evacuations in densely populated areas is a noteworthy challenge. The objective of this study was to evaluate alternatives that could optimize evacuee traffic flow in a no-notice evacuation of areas near an oil refinery. This simulation case study focused on a residential area in the City of Wood River, Illinois, and used Synchro 8.0 and VISSIM 7.0. This case study was different from existing evacuation literature because of the high left-turn demand from evacuating traffic. The study methods were unique because of the application of dynamic traffic assignment, a left-turn movement on the evacuation route, and the simulation of fully-actuated traffic signals. These scenarios evaluated the following: (1) existing traffic infrastructure; (2) flexible shelter choice; and (3) optimized traffic signal timing with flexible shelter choice. The results suggested that optimizing the signal timing and allowing drivers’ flexibility in choosing evacuation routes achieved the fastest evacuation. These findings indicated that a longer cycle length and an extended left-turn phase were important factors in reducing traffic delay in the network. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of operating intersections efficiently during no-notice evacuations.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"6 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141652152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Urban tourism has witnessed significant growth in recent years, driven by various factors that foster the transformation of urban areas into tourist hotspots. These factors include a rising interest in culture and heritage, ongoing urban redevelopment and conversion processes, and the introduction of new experiences and activities. Two particularly influential factors contributing to this growth are low-cost travel, which facilitates more accessible access to urban destinations, and the emergence of new types of accommodation, such as short-term rental (also known as local accommodation or Airbnb-type accommodation). The sudden and continuous growth of this type of tourist accommodation brings new challenges to cities and local communities. On the positive side, it contributes to job opportunities, the dynamism of the local economy, and urban revitalization. On the other hand, it also represents more difficulty in retaining the local population in city centers, as more and more buildings are converted into hostels and tourist apartments. In this context, it becomes essential to conduct studies evaluating the impacts of these dynamics in urban areas and how they influence residents’ and visitors’ perspectives. Therefore, this study aims to identify the main transformations resulting from short-term rental (STR) development, focusing on the impacts felt by tourists and residents in Porto. A questionnaire was distributed to tourists and residents in Porto’s city center in June 2023. The results reveal differences in opinions between tourists and residents, particularly concerning historical heritage preservation, local population relocation, and reduced housing availability for residents. Nevertheless, there is a similarity in their opinions regarding the stimulus that local accommodation brings to the economy and the rehabilitation of buildings and urban areas. This study reinforces the need to pay more attention to the future development of tourist accommodation in city centers, especially regarding local policies and territorial planning, to balance better tourism development and local communities’ quality of life.
{"title":"The Impact of Short-Term Rental Accommodation in Urban Tourism: A Comparative Analysis of Tourists’ and Residents’ Perspectives","authors":"Helena Albuquerque, J. Quintela, Jorge Marques","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030083","url":null,"abstract":"Urban tourism has witnessed significant growth in recent years, driven by various factors that foster the transformation of urban areas into tourist hotspots. These factors include a rising interest in culture and heritage, ongoing urban redevelopment and conversion processes, and the introduction of new experiences and activities. Two particularly influential factors contributing to this growth are low-cost travel, which facilitates more accessible access to urban destinations, and the emergence of new types of accommodation, such as short-term rental (also known as local accommodation or Airbnb-type accommodation). The sudden and continuous growth of this type of tourist accommodation brings new challenges to cities and local communities. On the positive side, it contributes to job opportunities, the dynamism of the local economy, and urban revitalization. On the other hand, it also represents more difficulty in retaining the local population in city centers, as more and more buildings are converted into hostels and tourist apartments. In this context, it becomes essential to conduct studies evaluating the impacts of these dynamics in urban areas and how they influence residents’ and visitors’ perspectives. Therefore, this study aims to identify the main transformations resulting from short-term rental (STR) development, focusing on the impacts felt by tourists and residents in Porto. A questionnaire was distributed to tourists and residents in Porto’s city center in June 2023. The results reveal differences in opinions between tourists and residents, particularly concerning historical heritage preservation, local population relocation, and reduced housing availability for residents. Nevertheless, there is a similarity in their opinions regarding the stimulus that local accommodation brings to the economy and the rehabilitation of buildings and urban areas. This study reinforces the need to pay more attention to the future development of tourist accommodation in city centers, especially regarding local policies and territorial planning, to balance better tourism development and local communities’ quality of life.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"57 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141655524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Scale is a significant although understudied dimension of cities. To better understand scale and flesh out the range of issues and debates involved in its conception, we conducted thirty-three in-depth interviews with a wide range of urban actors: developers, planners, policymakers, leaders of non-profit community organizations, and scholars. We wanted to know how contemporary urban actors in the U.S. conceive of scale as a factor in development? How is “small-scale” vs. “large-” or “mega-scale” differentiated, and are they inter-related? What are the pros and cons of both small- vs. large-scale projects? Four themes emerged from our interviews: scale definition, barriers to small-scale development, scale evaluation, and solutions for overcoming barriers to small-scale development. The point of this survey was to better understand possible responses and attitudes about scale among those involved in the urban development process.
{"title":"From Small to Mega: Evaluating Urban Scale","authors":"Emily Talen","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030084","url":null,"abstract":"Scale is a significant although understudied dimension of cities. To better understand scale and flesh out the range of issues and debates involved in its conception, we conducted thirty-three in-depth interviews with a wide range of urban actors: developers, planners, policymakers, leaders of non-profit community organizations, and scholars. We wanted to know how contemporary urban actors in the U.S. conceive of scale as a factor in development? How is “small-scale” vs. “large-” or “mega-scale” differentiated, and are they inter-related? What are the pros and cons of both small- vs. large-scale projects? Four themes emerged from our interviews: scale definition, barriers to small-scale development, scale evaluation, and solutions for overcoming barriers to small-scale development. The point of this survey was to better understand possible responses and attitudes about scale among those involved in the urban development process.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"76 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141658188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Omid Mansourihanis, Ayda Zaroujtaghi, Moein Hemmati, M. J. Maghsoodi Tilaki, Mahdi Alipour
This study explores the complex interplay between air pollution, the socioeconomic conditions, and the tourism density within Texas’s urban landscapes, focusing on Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. Despite extensive research on environmental justice and urban tourism separately, few studies have integrated these fields to examine how tourism development intersects with environmental and socioeconomic disparities at a neighborhood level. This research addresses this gap by employing advanced geospatial analyses and multi-criteria decision analysis to reveal the pronounced clustering of stressed communities on urban peripheries, often removed from tourism’s economic benefits. The study uniquely quantifies the spatial mismatches between tourist hotspots and areas of environmental stress, a dimension often overlooked in the environmental justice literature. Local spatial statistics and cumulative impact analysis uncover statistically significant correlations between high poverty levels and elevated air pollution in specific locales. The results show varying patterns across cities, with Austin presenting the lowest inequality levels and San Antonio exhibiting significant disparities. This granular, neighborhood-centric approach provides novel insights into the tourism–environment–equity nexus, addressing the lack of comprehensive studies linking these factors in rapidly growing Texan metropolitan areas. The findings underscore the critical need for targeted policy interventions and neighborhood-specific approaches in diagnosing urban environmental disparities and crafting equitable urban development policies that consider tourism’s impact on local communities.
{"title":"Unraveling the Tourism–Environment–Equity Nexus: A Neighborhood-Scale Analysis of Texas Urban Centers","authors":"Omid Mansourihanis, Ayda Zaroujtaghi, Moein Hemmati, M. J. Maghsoodi Tilaki, Mahdi Alipour","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8030082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030082","url":null,"abstract":"This study explores the complex interplay between air pollution, the socioeconomic conditions, and the tourism density within Texas’s urban landscapes, focusing on Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. Despite extensive research on environmental justice and urban tourism separately, few studies have integrated these fields to examine how tourism development intersects with environmental and socioeconomic disparities at a neighborhood level. This research addresses this gap by employing advanced geospatial analyses and multi-criteria decision analysis to reveal the pronounced clustering of stressed communities on urban peripheries, often removed from tourism’s economic benefits. The study uniquely quantifies the spatial mismatches between tourist hotspots and areas of environmental stress, a dimension often overlooked in the environmental justice literature. Local spatial statistics and cumulative impact analysis uncover statistically significant correlations between high poverty levels and elevated air pollution in specific locales. The results show varying patterns across cities, with Austin presenting the lowest inequality levels and San Antonio exhibiting significant disparities. This granular, neighborhood-centric approach provides novel insights into the tourism–environment–equity nexus, addressing the lack of comprehensive studies linking these factors in rapidly growing Texan metropolitan areas. The findings underscore the critical need for targeted policy interventions and neighborhood-specific approaches in diagnosing urban environmental disparities and crafting equitable urban development policies that consider tourism’s impact on local communities.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141662008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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