Urban and transport engineering
Urban and transport engineering plans and designs cities and the networks that move people and goods. It shapes exposure, accessibility and the ability of communities to function during disruption. Cities and Built Environment stewards this page for the Nexus Consortium.
- 01In briefThe short answer
- 02The methodWhat urban and transport engineering covers
- 03Reference practiceUrban and transport engineering follows planning and network analysis practice
- 04In systemic risk workNetworks that move people and goods
- 05Applied inPlatforms that apply this method
- 06StewardshipWho maintains this page
- 07Key termsTerms used on this page
GCRI · Institution · service level R0
The short answer.
Urban and transport engineering plans and designs cities and the networks that move people and goods. Transport analysis identifies critical links whose loss isolates communities or halts supply chains. In the Nexus Consortium, Cities and Built Environment stewards its canonical page, and 2 other platforms apply it, including Critical Infrastructure as well as Trade and Strategic Resources.
Infrastructure networks in Australia.
Major roads, railways, ports and airports, and the density of the transport network, shown for Australia as an example geography for this subject.
What urban and transport engineering covers.
- 01
Core methods
travel demand modelling; traffic simulation; network vulnerability analysis; land use and transport integration; accessibility analysis; evacuation planning.
- 02
Data and instruments
traffic counts and sensors; travel surveys; public transport schedules and ridership; land use registers; mobile location data.
- 03
Validation
Models are calibrated to observed flows and validated against independent counts. Post-event observations of network performance test resilience assumptions.
- 04
Limits
Behaviour during emergencies differs from routine travel. Long-term land use responses to infrastructure are uncertain.
- 05
Use in risk decisions
Transport analysis identifies critical links whose loss isolates communities or halts supply chains. It informs land use decisions that reduce exposure and maintain access to services.
Urban and transport engineering follows planning and network analysis practice.
| Reference | What it sets |
|---|---|
| New Urban Agenda | Planning commitments |
| ISO 37120 and 37123 | City service and resilience indicators |
| General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) | Open public transport data |
Networks that move people and goods.
Transport networks have critical links whose loss reroutes traffic far beyond the damaged area. Network criticality analysis ranks links by the consequence of their loss. Evacuation, emergency access and supply delivery all depend on these links.
- Rank links by consequence, not only by traffic.
- Model evacuation and emergency access.
- Include freight, not only passengers.
- Applications on Cities and Built Environment and Critical Infrastructure.
Platforms that apply this method.
Who maintains this page.
Cities and Built Environment stewards urban and transport engineering: it keeps this description current and reviews how the method is applied across the platforms.
Terms used on this page.
Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Transport model | A model that represents travel demand and network supply to estimate flows and travel times. |
| Bus bridge | Replacement bus service operated when a rail line is closed. |
| Safe System approach | A road safety approach that designs roads, speeds and vehicles so that human errors do not cause death or serious injury. |
| Travel time isochrone | A line enclosing all places reachable within a given travel time. |
Where this page's references lead.
The bodies and documents this page is read against. Status and editions change; each link goes to the issuing body.
Where this page leads across the Consortium.
Questions and answers.
Why does one institution host every method page?
How do I suggest a correction to a method page?
Around GCRI.
Start with an enquiry.
The current service level is R0: information and enquiries. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.