Abstract:
The road connectivity in development activities plays a key role in the urban spatial
structure. In recent years such developments have been built using a road design concept that
uses poor road connectivity. This road patterns does not provide travelers with alternative paths
to complete their Journeysand therefore the traffic concentrates on the main arterials. In this
background,Moratuwa M.C area was selected for analysis which is a one of the commercial
capital of Colombo city and Sri Lanka. This urban area also is functioning with high traffic
concentration.The objective of this paper is to identify the hierarchical structure and formation of
the road network and to analyze the connectivity levels of the selected nodes in spatially. For
that purpose a method to assess how connectivity affects the hierarchical structure was
developed. Secondary data like City Profile of Moratuwa MC area and Statistical Hand Book of
Moratuwa D.S Office and google map with a Moratuwa and Colombo regional network were
used for this research. The process used in this study involved the selection of some nodes to
know connectivity level and demand analysis of road networks. Then roads were coded in
greater detail to show existing road patterns and then new links were added to provide better
connectivity. Very high, high, moderate and law or Poor criteria were used as connectivity levels
using space syntax analysis and connectivity analysis methods. Results from this paper reveal
that forms of the roads and connectivity levels of roads were known. Positive and negative
aspects were identified in the study area and given some recommendations which can help
spread out traffic volumes more efficiently throughout a network. In that respect more studies
about design criteria, safety and livability levels of residential areas with interconnected road
patterns are needed. When we do this, traffic congestion can be avoided or delayed and the
transportation facilities would be more sustainable in the future. However as a spatial analysis
method connectivity analysis is more reliable.
