The Impact of Land Use on Urban Transport Patterns in Tehran

Rapid urbanization in recent years has led to increased energy consumption in diverse urban sectors. Urban transportation is one of key energy-intensive sectors of the city. This paper attempts to assess the impact of urban land use on urban transport patterns and thus the energy-efficiency of the transportation sector in Tehran. The metropolitan area of Tehran is an ideal environment for this research as there is significant diversity in transport patterns across its districts. A literature survey yields five factors, the correlation of which to transport patterns was calculated for different urban conditions. The results indicate that choice of transportation mode and distance—and consequently, the energy-efficiency of urban transportation sector— correlates with the degree of mixed and balanced land use, accessibility to and by public transport, and intersection design.