In the context of the co-evolution of land use and road networks, this study examines the degree to which the dynamics of land use is reinforcing or counteracting hierarchies of road networks. Whether a more hierarchical distribution of activities will lead to a more or less hierarchical road network is examined in a simulation environment with controlled initial conditions and quantitative measurements of spatial hierarchy. Simulations were conducted in a hypothetical metropolitan area where both the populationand employment are distributed over a two-dimensional grid. With fixed land use, road dynamics reached equilibrium quickly. Where both land use andthe road network were allowed to evolve, there was a strong trend of agglomeration and centralization of road capacity, which reinforces the differentiation of roads. The implications of the results are considered in relation to the development of cities in the 20th century. For the covering abstract see ITRD E144727. Reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
Samenvatting