Urban Travel behavior determinants in Saudi Arabia

The manuscript investigate the travel behavior in three Saudi cities: Riyadh, Dammam and Buraydah. The whole transport system,accessibility and different mobility are related to urban strategies, urban patterns and to urban plans that, at different level, manage the country defining aims and strategies for the development and management of the territory. Travel behavior inside these three important and different cities is influenced by the whole urban structure, by economy reason and by urban and political strategies. Not less important are social factors that has to be studied and has to inspire every urban action. Make more diversified, dynamic and modern economy seems to be the priority of national agenda of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As happened in the past, exogenous factors are addressing a rapid transformation of the public policy, in which urban mobility is one main paradigm. In this framework, a part of paper focused on the main determinants of urban travel behavior and the blueprint agenda of government to make more transit oriented the cities. Although the urban travel behavior is complex phenomena in Saudi Arabia, of which the main effect is related to massive car dependency of people for mobility, some clarifications would suggest the approach to analyse current factors are impacting on national choices and introduce ideas to make urban policy part of a bigger project

The negative impacts of subdivision regulation on the residential built environment : Jeddah's experience

PhD ThesisLand subdivision plans (LSPs) are the basis of development and transform untouched lands into modern residential areas. Subdivision regulation (SR) plays a key role in the process of organisation, design, planning and development of residential areas. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) relies on a single unified SR guideline formulated by the central government that applies one conventional development LSP approach for all Saudi cities. This approach does not take account of the provision of the final product or any particular part of it (e.g. housing units, public service plots, etc.), as well as after-sale services such as maintenance and management. Situated in the American and Saudi subdivision literature, this research first examines the quality of what this type of regulated development produces at a macro (city) scale relating to the structure of the urban form being built in Jeddah. It finds that at this scale, low-density car-reliant urban sprawl results – exactly the type of development that misses the sustainable liveability rhetoric the SR documents espouse, and which undermines Jeddah’s planning department’s attempts to meet the city’s 21st century challenges of rapid demographic and economic growth, and climate change. The research then investigates the quality of the public services and facilities provision at a micro (district) level by appraising the quality of two conventionally developed subdivision districts in Jeddah. It finds the quality of the public services and facilities is poor, especially for those residents not using a car. Building plots stand vacant/semi-built for long periods of time, and soft infrastructure provision (schools, parks, community facilities) are often slow to arrive – if they arrive at all. A face-to-face survey of resident heads of households in these two districts revealed that these shortcomings made life very difficult. The research also explored the regulations’ content and implementation process and, as part of this element of the investigation, interviewed local planners and conventional developers to gain a better understanding of how they perceived their role, the quality of these localities, and the shortcomings in the system that produced this type of development. The conventional developers were of the view they already provided too much, and if anything the regulations should be relaxed, not strengthened; the planners’ iv perception was that the regulations were about right, requiring essential services but not so restrictive as to prevent development. The residents’ survey from the original case studies also revealed preferences for a number of other localities in Jeddah where provision was better. The research investigated the development practice of these localities (‘non-conventional development’), by visiting the localities and interviewing the developers and found a smart growth/New Urbanism model of development, which could provide better quality public realm and up-front infrastructure provision, albeit at a cost and rather exclusively. This thesis concludes that it is important to improve the current conventional practices of LSP development to enable Jeddah to provide a more sustainable and more liveable urban form than is currently created, and presents a set of recommendations to achieve this. These include recommendations to amend the SR guidelines based on comprehensive studies conducted with modern techniques incorporating residents’ aspirations, developers’ suggestions, officials’ ideas, inputs from urban planners, and autonomy to local regulators (increased role and responsibility of Jeddah Municipality) cumulatively aimed at provision of better public facilities and services. There are still some possible venues to conduct future researches, such as encouraging planning and consulting offices to reveal their views of the current SR code and LSP development. Moreover, residents’ perceptions should be studied and included in unconventional subdivision plans to fulfil their satisfaction. Finally, it is useful to study and analyse the views of public services and facilities providers, particularly pertaining to their role within the LSP approval process

An Analysis of Public Boys’ High School Location Using GIS: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Case Study

The research study area is the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Jeddah high schools are separated by gender due to cultural background. In 2018, a research was conducted related to public girls’ high schools (Belarem et al., 2018) and the research neglected boys’ public high schools which is considered a gap in the study. In addition, the emphasis of this research is on the male population because it is more than the female population in the city which will require more schools for boys in the future. Moreover, and from an urban planner point of view, public schools are part of the city infrastructure and the quality of physical, social, and academic of schools is part of the quality of the city. This research is to study Public Boys’ High school physical location distribution and population accessibility to these schools using Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis tools such as euclidian and network analysis. Furthermore, city historical Landsat imagery in the last 30 years to be used to study the city urban sprawl(population) to estimate future urban sprawl (population) direction in the city. Such analysis will enable urban planners and educators to come together to determine future school siting for better quality

The role of local municipal branches in planning, developing and managing urban growth in Saudi Arabian cities :a case study of the city of Jeddah

PhD ThesisThe impacts of urbanization are becoming increasingly recognized and severe both on national and international levels. The demands of growing populations in cities cause major economic, social and environmental problems. These problems can relate to inadequate infrastructure and lack of access to essential services. The rising awareness and challenges of rapid urbanization has led to urban governance and growth management becoming major research themes in the academic literature as good development principles are sought for effective planning management in urban and surrounding areas. This study focuses on cities in Saudi Arabia, in particular the Jeddah Municipality, which shows some classic problems and issues relating to urbanization. The main research aim was to determine to what extent the current organizational structure of Jeddah is appropriate to address the problems of urban areas. Furthermore, this study has looked at establishing an analytical framework that can contribute to improving management and organization of urban development in the city of Jeddah, by investigating the role of the Jeddah Municipality and Municipal branches to improve the management of urban areas and address their impact on city planning both economically and socially. Primary data was collected through questionnaires and interviews with officials and citizens in the city of Jeddah. It was found that the city of Jeddah grew rapidly and significant activity in terms of physical changes and economic and population growth created a number of problems including inadequate provision of municipal services and public facilities to the citizens; reliance on central administration to conduct affairs and do decision-making without taking into account requests and needs of citizens and their desires to participate in the urban development of the city. A number of recommendations are made to promote change in the organizational structure of the Jeddah Municipality and the municipal branches, as the study showed that the current structure lacks integrity with regard to urban planning, development and management of growth. These include improving the existing organizational structure and making it more efficient and improving in the ability to iv manage changes informed by citizen needs. It is hoped that these recommendations will be effective not only in Saudi cities but also in other cities worldwide

How does transportation facilitate regional economic development?:A heuristic mapping of the literature

Despite a growing body of literature, the relationship between transport investment and regional economic development remains elusive. Individual studies highlight certain aspects but neglect others, and yet do not add up to a holistic framework. This paper engages with this gap by developing a holistic conceptual framework based on the synthesis of the literature. A list of variables and relationships were extracted and classified into a broad framework representing common elements of a regional economic system. Then, a causal loop diagram (CLD) was produced as a conceptual model by employing a system dynamics method that captures the interaction of the elements. The conceptual model reveals that the underlying mechanisms of regional economic development represent a complex and dynamic process engaging multiple factors, causalities, and temporal dynamics. Transport investment improves the attractiveness of regions and generates economic activities, reinforcing further investments, thereby fostering regional GDP and urban growth. The conditions of interregional transport infrastructure determine where cities can emerge and grow, and urban transport infrastructure conditions guide how big (population) and wide (area) a city can become. Three additional soft policies (urban transport, urban policies, and institutions and innovation) influence the attractiveness of regions and their economic activities. The time and scales of the policy inputs may produce different outcomes, i.e., city(ies) size and regional GDP, leading to income inequality across regions. We conclude that the generated conceptual model offers a distinct contribution by originally mapping the links between different studies and provides an overarching framework for further explorations

The impact of open spaces in the social life : the case of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

This study discusses social life in public open spaces within an urban context of Jeddah city, by examining the quality and design of these spaces. Jeddah is a multicultural city, with a high proportion of immigrant people, so also provides a research context for critiquing transnational practices and social interaction. The study strategy was developed from two key methodological principles. The first develops investigation of open space as an integration of form, fabric and cultural practice, allowing the study to link social patterns with the physical design of the public realm. The second foregrounds storytelling methods to elicit complexity of social interaction, enabling investigation of intangible influences, such as social norms, gender norms, religion and ethnicity. A qualitative case study approach was used to investigate users’ cultural practices and experiences of public spaces. The methods used in this study were a review of documents and maps, car surveys, observations and on-site interviews. It was fundamental to develop an open space typology to meet the diversity of use in a case study selection specific to a Gulf region context. The present study has the potential to make an important contribution to academic research on the value and roles of open space in social life and interaction. The focus on Saudi Arabian open spaces is rare, and contributes to address the Western and North European bias in academic literature. The practical implications of the study are also important, as it highlights the necessity to develop open spaces design, planning, and management in order to better meet residents’ social needs. However, despite the numerous weaknesses of the open space provision in Jeddah, the study confirms the potential of creation of strong social relations between the residents of Jeddah when they are provided public spaces that attract them and meet their needs and expectations.Este estudio discute la vida social en espacios públicos abiertos dentro de un contexto urbano de la ciudad de Jiddah, examinando la calidad y el diseño de estos espacios. Jiddah es una ciudad multicultural, con una alta proporción de inmigrantes, por lo que también proporciona un contexto de investigación para criticar las prácticas transnacionales y la interacción social. La estrategia de estudio se desarrolló a partir de dos principios metodológicos clave. El primero desarrolla la investigación del espacio abierto como una integración de la forma, el tejido y la práctica cultural, permitiendo que el estudio vincule patrones sociales con el diseño físico del ámbito público. El segundo pone en primer plano los métodos de narración de cuentos para provocar la complejidad de la interacción social, permitiendo la investigación de influencias intangibles, como las normas sociales, las normas de género, la religión y la etnicidad. Se utilizó un enfoque de estudio de caso cualitativo para investigar las prácticas culturales de los usuarios y las experiencias de los espacios públicos. Los métodos utilizados en este estudio fueron una revisión de documentos y mapas, encuestas de coches, observaciones y entrevistas en el sitio. Era fundamental desarrollar una tipología de espacio abierto para cumplir con la diversidad de uso en una selección de estudio de caso específica para un contexto de la región del Golfo. El presente estudio tiene el potencial de hacer una contribución importante a la investigación académica sobre el valor y los roles del espacio abierto en la vida social y la interacción. El enfoque en los espacios abiertos de Arabia Saudita es raro, y contribuye a abordar el sesgo occidental y del norte de Europa en la literatura académica. Las implicaciones prácticas del estudio también son importantes, ya que resalta la necesidad de desarrollar el diseño, la planificación y la gestión de espacios abiertos para satisfacer mejor las necesidades sociales de los residentes. Sin embargo, a pesar de las numerosas debilidades de la provisión de espacios abiertos en Jiddah, el estudio confirma el potencial de la creación de fuertes relaciones sociales entre los residentes de Jiddah cuando se les proporciona espacios públicos que los atraen y satisfacen sus necesidades y expectativas.Postprint (published version

The impact of open spaces in the social life : the case of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

This study discusses social life in public open spaces within an urban context of Jeddah city, by examining the quality and design of these spaces. Jeddah is a multicultural city, with a high proportion of immigrant people, so also provides a research context for critiquing transnational practices and social interaction. The study strategy was developed from two key methodological principles. The first develops investigation of open space as an integration of form, fabric and cultural practice, allowing the study to link social patterns with the physical design of the public realm. The second foregrounds storytelling methods to elicit complexity of social interaction, enabling investigation of intangible influences, such as social norms, gender norms, religion and ethnicity. A qualitative case study approach was used to investigate users’ cultural practices and experiences of public spaces. The methods used in this study were a review of documents and maps, car surveys, observations and on-site interviews. It was fundamental to develop an open space typology to meet the diversity of use in a case study selection specific to a Gulf region context. The present study has the potential to make an important contribution to academic research on the value and roles of open space in social life and interaction. The focus on Saudi Arabian open spaces is rare, and contributes to address the Western and North European bias in academic literature. The practical implications of the study are also important, as it highlights the necessity to develop open spaces design, planning, and management in order to better meet residents’ social needs. However, despite the numerous weaknesses of the open space provision in Jeddah, the study confirms the potential of creation of strong social relations between the residents of Jeddah when they are provided public spaces that attract them and meet their needs and expectations.Este estudio discute la vida social en espacios públicos abiertos dentro de un contexto urbano de la ciudad de Jiddah, examinando la calidad y el diseño de estos espacios. Jiddah es una ciudad multicultural, con una alta proporción de inmigrantes, por lo que también proporciona un contexto de investigación para criticar las prácticas transnacionales y la interacción social. La estrategia de estudio se desarrolló a partir de dos principios metodológicos clave. El primero desarrolla la investigación del espacio abierto como una integración de la forma, el tejido y la práctica cultural, permitiendo que el estudio vincule patrones sociales con el diseño físico del ámbito público. El segundo pone en primer plano los métodos de narración de cuentos para provocar la complejidad de la interacción social, permitiendo la investigación de influencias intangibles, como las normas sociales, las normas de género, la religión y la etnicidad. Se utilizó un enfoque de estudio de caso cualitativo para investigar las prácticas culturales de los usuarios y las experiencias de los espacios públicos. Los métodos utilizados en este estudio fueron una revisión de documentos y mapas, encuestas de coches, observaciones y entrevistas en el sitio. Era fundamental desarrollar una tipología de espacio abierto para cumplir con la diversidad de uso en una selección de estudio de caso específica para un contexto de la región del Golfo. El presente estudio tiene el potencial de hacer una contribución importante a la investigación académica sobre el valor y los roles del espacio abierto en la vida social y la interacción. El enfoque en los espacios abiertos de Arabia Saudita es raro, y contribuye a abordar el sesgo occidental y del norte de Europa en la literatura académica. Las implicaciones prácticas del estudio también son importantes, ya que resalta la necesidad de desarrollar el diseño, la planificación y la gestión de espacios abiertos para satisfacer mejor las necesidades sociales de los residentes. Sin embargo, a pesar de las numerosas debilidades de la provisión de espacios abiertos en Jiddah, el estudio confirma el potencial de la creación de fuertes relaciones sociales entre los residentes de Jiddah cuando se les proporciona espacios públicos que los atraen y satisfacen sus necesidades y expectativas

The ability of the local planning authority to implement zoning regulations : a case study of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

PhD ThesisThe Municipality of Jeddah adopted a ‘smart growth policy’ to address issues of urban sprawl and housing affordability that resulted in the adoption of new zoning regulations in 2007. The new regulations intended to generate urban intensification and vertical expansion. Jeddah Municipality have permitted six-storey dwellings with a parking level in areas of existing low rise detached housing, which have caused conflict between residents and developers over infringement of privacy. The implementation of zoning regulations has exposed inherent weaknesses at the Municipality level. The aims of the research are: firstly, to explore the rationale of the Municipality of Jeddah in increasing buildings heights. Secondly, to assess the performance of the local government and to identify the critical factors that determines its performance. Thirdly, to explore the impact of the applying the new regulations and residents reaction. The research uses mixed-methods and case studies to collect primary and secondary data. The fieldwork includes the views of householders, city officials and professionals. The research uses descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse quantitative data and description and thematic text to analyse qualitative data. Furthermore, it draws on the UN-HABITAT Urban Governance Index (UGI) to evaluate the performance of Jeddah Municipality. The main findings of the study are that there is a need to increase buildings heights to accommodate the increase of population and their future housing needs and demands but this need to be planned with greater sensitivity to neighbourhood context. There are deficiencies in the planning system at the local level specifically there is a lack of integration between urban planning, urban management and other stakeholders. Residents who have no recognised voice in the planning decision making process managed to overturn decisions. The study concludes that, in the Saudi context, a blanket mixing of building heights in residential areas is unacceptable.Ministry of Higher Education as well as the Faculty of Environmental Design at King Abdulaziz University in Jedda