Urban Economics and Planning

Urban Economics and Planning

Evaluation of the Significance and Effectiveness of Components in the Complete Streets Project (Case Study: Complete Streets of Shohada-e-Iranit in Tehran)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Tara Farshadi 1
Mojtaba Rafieian 2
1 Master student of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Professor of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/uep.2025.498038.1582
Abstract
Introduction 
As one of the most significant urban spaces, Streets play a crucial role in fostering and sustaining the flow of a city’s social, cultural, and economic life. These spaces not only function as essential networks for the movement of people, goods, and public transport but are also recognized as places for enhancing social interactions and communication among people. They serve as platforms for cultural and social events, attracting people to Vibrant public spaces and fostering a sense of belonging to the community. Given the significant role of streets in shaping urban spaces, optimizing them to achieve high desirability is essential. With the increase in population and the diversification of needs, streets must be designed to accommodate the varying requirements of different users. One of the strategies for optimizing and enhancing the quality of streets is the Complete Street project, which refers to streets that simultaneously and equitably address the needs of diverse users, including pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, public transportation users, people with disabilities, older people, the children, and local businesses. The importance of the Complete Street initiative arose from the fact that most urban streets were incomplete, primarily designed for automobiles, and lacked sufficient attention to the needs of other users. These streets often faced issues such as heavy traffic congestion, air pollution, and a lack of pedestrian and Cyclists safety. Given that the Complete Street project in Iran was first implemented along Shohada-ye Iranit Axis in the Nafarabad neighborhood of District 20, Tehran, and considering the existing challenges in Tehran’s urban space, this research aims to evaluate the Complete Street project to identify influential factors, assess its quality and efficiency in local communities, and gain a better understanding of user needs. In pursuit of the research objectives, the following questions are raised: What is the relative importance and influence of each component in implementing the Complete Street compared to other elements? And, how has the implementation of the Complete Street project on Shohada-ye Iranit Street impacted its users? By analyzing these questions, a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities can be achieved, leading to recommendations for improving the quality of streets and creating more efficient, human-centered, and inclusive public spaces.
Materials and Methods
The study is categorized as descriptive-explanatory in terms of its nature and orientation and as applied research in terms of its objective. To achieve the research objectives, criteria were first extracted through library and documentary studies. In determining the criteria, it is essential to consider how the implementation of a Complete Street impacts a community and its surrounding environment’s Behavior and reaction. These criteria should clearly reflect how users react to the implementation of the Complete Street project. After determining the criteria, the required data was collected through various methods, including field observation, interviews with urban experts, and completing questionnaires. The sampling was conducted randomly among the residents and users of Shohada-ye Iranit Street, and the Cochran formula was used to determine the sample size, resulting in a total of 374 collected users of Shohada-ye Iranit Street questionnaires. The collected data was described in tables and charts using SPSS software and spatially analyzed using GIS software. Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in LISREL software. This method, as an advanced approach and a powerful tool in data analysis, enables the examination of the complex structure and relationships between latent variables and independent variables, allowing for the analysis of the direct and indirect effects of different project components. Structural Equation Modeling was conducted in four stages. First, the normality of the data was examined. Then, using first-order factor analysis, the latent structure in the data was identified, and the validity of the model concerning this latent structure was ensured. The goodness-of-fit test indicated that the model fit the data well. Consequently, in the final stage, a multi-step analysis of the latent structure of the data was conducted through second-order factor analysis.
Findings
Findings indicate that the majority of users of Shohada-ye Iranit Street fall within the age range of 20 to 60 years, with approximately 44% comprising retirees and homemakers. This statistic shows the important role of these groups in using the spaces of this street. In this study, various components have been analyzed across four dimensions: socio-cultural, physical, economic, and environmental, each of which includes a set of criteria. The reason for selecting these four dimensions lies in the concept of the Complete Street and the expected outcomes of its implementation. The results of the second-order factor analysis indicate that the socio-cultural dimension, with a factor loading of 0.94, and the physical dimension, with a factor loading of 0.86, have been the most influenced by the implementation of the Shohada-ye Iranit Complete Street. The environmental dimension has a factor loading of 0.79, while the economic dimension has a factor loading of 0.42. Furthermore, in addition to these dimensions, the study has also measured and tested specific criteria, among which the criteria of physical comfort and inclusivity have obtained factor loadings of 0.88 and 0.86, respectively.
Conclusion
This study assessed the importance and effectiveness of the components of the urban Complete Street project, focusing on Shohada-ye Iranit Street. The results obtained from Structural Equation Modeling indicate that the Shohada-ye Iranit Complete Street project has been generally successful, having positive impacts on the environment, the local community, and urban life. These effects have been most prominent in the socio-cultural dimension, as street safety and vibrancy have increased, encouraging the presence of users of all ages and abilities. The economic dimension has been less affected compared to other dimensions, as the number of commercial uses and economic activities along the street has not significantly changed since the project’s implementation, with commercial lands accounting for only 6% of land use. However, land prices in the area have risen significantly. Given the positive impact of the Shohada-ye Iranit Complete Street project on its users, the Complete Street approach can be utilized as a model to improve other corridors within Tehran’s street network and in other cities across the country.
Keywords
Complete Street
Effectiveness
Shohada-ye Iranit Street
Structural Equation Modeling

Subjects

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Urban Economics and Planning
Volume 6, Issue 1
Winter 2025
Pages 6-27

  • Receive Date 07 January 2025
  • Revise Date 23 February 2025
  • Accept Date 01 March 2025