Integrating Roadside Greening and Urban Microclimate into Pedestrian Accessibility Assessment: A Case Study of Tashkent City

Abstract

Rapid urbanization has intensified the urban heat island (UHI) effect, particularly in hot-climate cities, affecting pedestrian mobility and comfort. While roadside greening provides important environmental benefits, its role in transport accessibility remains underexplored. This study develops a climate-sensitive accessibility model by integrating roadside vegetation and microclimate factors in Tashkent city.
Remote sensing data (LST and NDVI) and GIS-based network analysis were used to assess thermal conditions and walking accessibility (5, 10, and 15 minutes). A Thermal Comfort Index (TCI) was developed to incorporate temperature, vegetation, and shading into accessibility evaluation.
Results show that conventional models overestimate accessibility by ignoring environmental conditions. High-temperature, low-vegetation areas have reduced real accessibility, while green and shaded corridors improve pedestrian conditions.
The study proposes a new framework linking greening, microclimate, and transport accessibility, supporting more sustainable and climate-responsive urban planning.