Connective Urban Greenway Route Planning: A Spatial Optimization Perspective

Urban greenways, as vital green infrastructures, offer a range of societal, environmental, and ecological benefits to city dwellers. However, planning their routes remains a complex task for urban planners. While most studies emphasize either maximizing the number of residents served or enhancing the environmental benefits along these greenways, the role of urban greenways in linking existing facilities like tourist attractions, urban parks, public transport stations, and other greenways has received less attention. This paper introduces an innovative spatial optimization model for the planning of connective urban greenway routes. The model aims to link these facilities while also maximizing the population’s access to the greenway. We developed a set of models applicable to different objectives of connecting existing facilities, such as maximizing the number of facilities to be covered, covering all facilities, and minimizing the distance between facilities and planned greenways. Bi-objective scenarios, including weighted and lexicographical models, are also presented. We delineated the MILP formulation of the proposed models. The paper includes simulation tests with empirical data from Lhasa, China, validating the model’s practicality and computational efficiency.