Quantitative and qualitative approaches in recognizing viable centres to support transit system implementation in developing countries. Case study: Makassar, Indonesia.

Abstract

Implementing transit systems has been seen as one approach to better support land use development and the transport system to overcome the spatial mismatch and subsequently, the traffic congestion problems in many cities. One of the key components of transit system implementation is recognizing the viable center. However, the application of this system in practice is still limited due inadequate spatial form and mobility information, especially in cities in the developing world. This study aims to propose a spatial clustering approach to identify urban center(s) based on openly available data sources combined with expert interviews. The proposed method is intended to support local transport planning processes. Following the case study approach, the method was developed and tested in Makassar, Indonesia. Urban land use and the built environment data were used alongside data about the streets network and the distribution of facilities derived from the local authority's spatial database and OpenStreetMap (OSM). The results show that urban centers are developed outside the central business district mainly in linear form. Additional findings based on the morphological perspective show that Makassar has three types of urban fabrics, i.e., walking, car city, and transit city fabrics. Based on the urban center distribution and urban fabrics’ typology, recommendations for the adjustment of transport nodes and the city network can be made, which could become a basis for transport planning in the future.