Repurposing leftover transport infrastructure spaces: Case studies from the Netherlands, USA, and China through an urban design governance lens

Transport infrastructure spaces embody multidimensional complexity, balancing mobility with public life functions, all shaped by fragmented governance arrangements across transport and municipal authorities. Existing research predominantly addresses these challenges through singular urban planning or engineering lenses, insufficiently engaging with the consensus-building required across diverse stakeholders. This paper investigates how urban design governance frameworks can reconcile spatial and institutional tensions at the interface of transport and public space. Through comparative analysis of Dutch, American, and Chinese cases, it adapts design governance theory—previously untested in transport infrastructure contexts—to examine three questions concerning the application of urban design governance tools to leftover transport infrastructure spaces; variation across institutional environments; and their selection and combination. By mapping different spatial characteristics, governance contexts, and tool efficacy, the study equips decision-makers with evidence-based strategies to enhance infrastructure quality through collaborative processes. Practically, it expands design governance’s applicability to transport landscapes, offering a cross-disciplinary lens to bridge infrastructural efficiency and socio-spatial equity.