To perform a spatial analysis of Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) and assess road safety issues from the perspective of road users. Although many initiatives have been taken to reduce the occurrence and severity of RTCs, they continue to persist. Existing research often investigates the spatial occurrence of RTCs or the perception of road safety issues from the road user. In doing this, only a limited number of factors that contribute to RTCs can be revealed, whereas in most RTC occurrences a multitude of factors plays a role. A more integrated approach combining both knowledge areas can contribute to improving road safety. RTCs that occurred from 2018 to 2020 in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, were spatially analyzed. This was performed using Network Kernel Density Estimation (NKDE) analysis. Two zones within the study area were selected to understand road users' perceptions of road safety through a survey. Furthermore, opinions toward possible recommendations for improving road safety were also collected through key informant interviews. NKDE resulted in a hot-spot map of the road segments in the study area that showed the frequency of RTCs using different colors. The road segments were classified based on the number of RTCs from 2018 to 2020, ranging from zero to 17.9 RTCs per kilometer. This led to the selection of a hot and cold spot zone for further analysis. The road user perception survey resulted in the discovery of qualitative responses that can be used to improve road safety in future and the possible recommendations would be well received by them. The key-informant interviews acted as a backup to the opinions given by the road users and provided insights on what is being done in the study area to improve road safety. The synthesis of findings unveiled why road users perceive some areas as dangerous and which road policies need to be revised to improve road safety in Rotterdam.
Although the Janmarg (people’s way) Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) system in Ahmedabad, India, achieved worldwide accolades since its introduction, it has not reached its expected ridership. In analyzing ridership, research shows that external factors of BRTS such as built-form indicators have a potentially greater effect on ridership than its internal factors. In order to assess the ridership of the Janmarg BRTS, a methodology was developed based on built-form indicators that were quantified using the “5D” approach. The use of appropriate geo-information science (GIS) techniques helped to analyze the built-form spatial data effectively. The calculated built-form indicators were used as inputs in a regression analysis. The consulted literature suggests a relationship between built-form indicators and ridership. However, in the present study this relationship was not confirmed. Moreover, land-use diversity, road connectivity, and job accessibility by BRTS were found to be relatively low. Several policy recommendations were suggested along the BRTS corridors in line with the existing policy such as the utilization of full Floor Space Index potential, the application of Transit Oriented Development strategies and the integration with non-motorized modes to increase the accessibility to the most important job locations.