Study on the accessibility of proposed metro stations in CBD areas of Dhaka city in relation to the spatial structure of local urban grid

Abstract

Accessibility is an important influencing factor for the efficient functioning of a metro system. Among multifaceted metro accessibility indicators such as connectivity, land use mix and diversity, compact and centeredness, attractive walking environment, social norm and cultural preferences, activity locations, trip duration and affordability this research has mainly concentrated upon spatial connectivity of the street network to assess the accessibility condition of the proposed metro stations in CBD context of Dhaka city. Therefore, in a living context, it is a technical challenge to set a strategic location of a metro station considering the spatial network of the local urban grid and movement pattern. Successful integration of a metro station needs to consider those movement and land uses in relation to the local spatial structure particularly in CBD areas where land value and pedestrian movement is extremely high. At the early stage planning, accessibility pattern of the local street network plays a significant role in deciding the accessible location of a metro station which facilitates the efficient transfer of passengers to local destination. However, this study has tried to analyze the configurational characteristics (both Axial and VGA properties) of the local street network to interpret the accessible location of the proposed metro station in the study area of Motijheel and Karwanbazar along the MRT Line-06 route.

Space syntax method has been used here as a decision-making tool to investigate the accessibility pattern of the local spatial structure in relation to movement and land uses. For local movement study ‘Gate method’ has been used here. Therefore, from the spatial analysis and field observation the study findings can be summarized in two notes. Firstly, the spatial analysis (both Axial and VGA analysis) of the local urban grid in relation to local movement pattern represents that the interpretation of accessible spaces is more correspondence to the VGA properties than axial properties. Secondly, the accessibility of the proposed metro station depends on how it is connected to the local urban grid where land use pattern plays a significant role to generate movement. For both CBD areas, land use acts as an independent attractor to generate significant movement and creates a multiplier effect when aligned with highly integrated lines. Hence, it requires a further detail investigation in this regard. Finally, based on the field observation and configurational analysis the study findings suggest some guidelines to improve the accessibility condition around the proposed station and manage a mass movement. Therefore, the study contributes to this perspective to analyze the accessibility of the proposed metro station in a living context thus will assist in early-stage planning and design process in determining the accessible location.

Key words Metro Station Accessibility, Spatial Connectivity, Space Syntax Method, Central Business District (CBD), Pedestrian Movement and Land use