Measuring the Structure of Road Networks

Feng Xie and David Levinson

No 200702, Working Papers from University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group

Abstract: Spatial networks display both topologic and geometric variations in their structure. This study investigates the measurement of road network structure. Existing measures of heterogeneity, connectivity, accessibility, and interconnectivity are reviewed and three supplemental measures are proposed, including measures of entropy, connection patterns, and continuity. Proposed measures were applied to 16 test networks, which were derived from 4 idealized base networks: 90-degree, 45-degree, 30-degree, and completely connected. The results show that the differentiated structures of road networks can be evaluated by the measure of entropy; predefined connection patterns of arterial roads can be identified and quantified by the measures of ringness, webness, beltness, circuitness, and treeness. A measure of continuity evaluates the quality of a network from the perspective of travelers. Proposed measures could be used to describe the structural attributes of complicated road networks quantitatively, to compare different network structures, and to explore the structural evolution of networks in the spatial and temporal context. These measures can find their applications in urban planning and transportation practice.

Keywords: Networks; Transportation; Structure; Entropy; Pattern; Continuity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O33 R41 R42 R48 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published in Geographical Analysis 39(3) pp.336-356

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http://hdl.handle.net/11299/179947 First version, 2007 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nex:wpaper:topology

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