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Published on: January 20, 2023
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Urban highways are barriers to social ties
Luca Maria Aiello1,2, Anastassia Vybornova1, Sándor Juhász3,4,5
1Department of Computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2300, Denmark.
Summary
Urban highways reduce social connectivity by acting as physical barriers, particularly impacting short-distance interactions. This research quantifies the impact of these car-centric infrastructures on social ties in major US cities.
Area of Science:
- Urban Studies
- Sociology
- Spatial Analysis
Background:
- Urban highways are prevalent in the US, promoting car dependency and limiting local pedestrian mobility.
- While their role in restricting social interactions is recognized, quantitative evidence linking highways to social ties is scarce.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess the relationship between urban highways and social connectivity.
- To introduce a novel method for measuring the social impact of urban infrastructure.
Main Methods:
- Development of a "Barrier Score" integrating geolocated social network data with highway infrastructure.
- Analysis of social ties at an individual level across the 50 largest US cities.
Main Results:
- Urban highways are significantly associated with decreased social connectivity.
- The barrier effect of highways is more pronounced for shorter social distances.
- Findings align with historical instances of highways isolating marginalized communities.
Conclusions:
- Urban highways act as significant barriers to social connectivity, exacerbating social segregation.
- The developed methodology offers a new approach for demographic and urban planning studies.
- Results can inform reparative planning to reduce spatial inequality and enhance urban social fabric.
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