Macroscopic street classification of ”Link” and ”Place” functions: A Python-based approach using OpenStreetMap data

April 9, 2026

This work proposes a reproducible, city-scale method to quantify the “link” and “place” functions of streets using only OpenStreetMap (OSM) data and open-source Python packages. While streets are widely recognized as both mobility corridors (”link”) and social and lingering environments (”place”), their translation into scalable quantitative frameworks remains limited, with most applications focused on qualitative, street-level assessments. This study addresses that gap by introducing a transparent and generalizable methodology that computes “link” and “place” indicators for every street segment in a city using freely accessible geospatial data. The “link” function is derived through principal component analysis (PCA) using simplified potential capacity estimates, edge betweenness centrality, OSM road hierarchy, and speed limits as proxy indicators. The “place” function is computed using the CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) method based on the density and diversity of points of interest and design-related features, namely greenery and urban furniture presence, road hierarchy, and speed limits. Both approaches are scalable with respect to the number of input indicators. Applied to the Portuguese municipality of Lisbon as a case study, the method produces continuous distributions of “link” and “place” values and a classification matrix identifying structural mobility corridors, local activity clusters, and mixed-function urban avenues. By relying solely on open data and open-source computational workflows, the approach supports replication across any territory with OSM coverage and facilitates policy making by providing a clear, interpretable, and scalable diagnostic tool for screening street functions. Future work should refine proxy indicators and extend the analysis to additional contexts.

Authors in the community:

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  M

  Miguel Pereira Coutinho Relvas Pires

  ist1108313

Supervisors of this institution:

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  G

  Gabriel Costa Valença

  ist194281

civil-engineering - Civil engineering

por - Portuguese

Instituto Superior Técnico