Determining Optimal Road Widths in Zoning Plans using the LSM: Evidence from Elazığ, Türkiye

Abstract

Zoning plans encompass areas where people reside and fulfill their essential functions. The formulation of these plans is governed by various criteria, encompassing population, topography, land slope, aspect, climatic conditions, transportation, and opportunities for health and education. In Türkiye, the zoning plan governed by Law No. 3194 is developed around zoning islands, incorporating various criteria during its formulation. Within such plans, transportation networks are established through primary and intermediate roads, which are designed not according to private property boundaries but in response to the configuration of zoning islands and site-specific land conditions. Consequently, this study investigates the necessity of determining road widths with varying characteristics—such as population, precedent, height, and construction coefficient—to optimize both traffic flow and pedestrian safety. By utilizing the Least Squares Method (LSM), main road widths are treated as correction coefficients; the constant width lengths, length coefficients, and all relevant criteria of zoning blocks are expressed separately as constants and unknowns, with their relations examined. The results provide an evaluation of road network design, emphasizing that the determination of ideal road width is a critical factor in enhancing the performance of zoning plans, offering place- and evidence-based guidance to strengthen long-term functional efficacy and urban resilience.