A Network-Based Approach for Reducing Pedestrian Exposure to PM 2.5 Induced by Road Traffic in Seoul

Sungsoo Yoon, Youngjoo Moon, Jinah Jeong, Chan-Ryul Park and Wanmo Kang
Additional contact information
Sungsoo Yoon: EcoBank Team, National Institute of Ecology, 1210 Geumgang-ro, Seocheon-gun 33657, Republic of Korea
Youngjoo Moon: Department of Forest Resources, Graduate School of Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
Jinah Jeong: Department of Forest Resources, Graduate School of Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
Chan-Ryul Park: Urban Forests Division, National Institute of Forest Science, 57 Hoegi-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02455, Republic of Korea
Wanmo Kang: Department of Forest Environment and Systems, College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Urban plans for pedestrian-friendly environments by reducing exposure to air pollutants and enhancing movement are crucial for public health and accessibility of social infrastructure. Here, we develop a novel network analysis-based approach, which identifies pivotal local walkways that lower exposure risk to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) while improving the urban landscape connectivity. We employ an exponential distance-decay model and partial correlation analysis to estimate traffic-induced PM 2.5 and to test the relationship between the proxies and actual PM 2.5 concentrations, respectively. We use a proxy for pedestrians’ PM 2.5 exposure as a movement cost when conducting network analyses to compute pedestrian network centrality, reflecting both low PM 2.5 exposure risk and landscape connectivity. As a result, we found a significant contribution of traffic to the estimated PM 2.5 exposure and PM 2.5 concentrations. We also found that walkways make a large contribution to regional connectivity regardless of the estimated PM 2.5 exposure risk owing to the composition and configuration of urban landscape elements. Regarding the spatial features and planning context, this study suggests four types of pedestrian networks to provide urban authorities with useful practical information in city-wide urban plans for enhancing walkability: PM 2.5 reduction required; PM 2.5 reduction recommended; optimal areas; and alternatives of optimal areas.

Keywords: air quality; betweenness centrality; circuit theory; pedestrian network; shortest path; walkable city (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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