Resilient cityscape at night during an earthquake.

Is Your City Ready? How Urban Design Can Save Lives During Disasters

Nico Varela in Climate & Environment June 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research reveals the surprising ways street networks can be designed to withstand floods, earthquakes, and more, ensuring your community stays connected when it matters most."

Cities are the engines of our modern world, but they're also increasingly vulnerable. From devastating floods and powerful earthquakes to targeted attacks, urban centers face a growing array of threats that can disrupt daily life and endanger countless lives. At the heart of every city lies its street network—the arteries through which people and goods flow. When these networks fail, the consequences can be catastrophic.

But what if our cities could be designed to withstand these shocks? What if urban planners could proactively build resilience into the very fabric of our street networks, creating communities that are not only efficient but also remarkably safe? That's the question driving groundbreaking new research from the University of Southern California, offering a global perspective on urban design and disaster preparedness.

This innovative study simulates over 2.4 billion trips across more than 8,000 urban areas worldwide, modeling how different street network designs respond to a variety of disruptive events. The findings reveal critical insights into what makes a city resilient and offer actionable strategies for planners and policymakers looking to safeguard their communities. Whether you're a city dweller, a concerned citizen, or an urban planning professional, this is a must-read.

Decoding Urban Vulnerability: What Makes a City Fall?

Resilient cityscape at night during an earthquake.

The USC study tackles a critical question: how do street networks across the globe respond to different types of disruptions? To find out, researchers created detailed models of urban areas using OpenStreetMap (OSM) data and the Global Human Settlement Layer, simulating everything from floods to targeted attacks on key infrastructure.

One of the most striking findings is the outsized impact of disrupting high-centrality nodes—those critical intersections and roadways that act as major chokepoints in the network. When these nodes are compromised, the entire system can grind to a halt. But the study also reveals that not all street networks are created equal. Certain design characteristics can significantly reduce a city's vulnerability.

Connectivity is King: Networks with more connections and alternative routes are better able to absorb disruptions and keep traffic flowing.
Dodge the Chokepoints: Cities with fewer critical chokepoints are less susceptible to cascading failures.
Less Circuitous is More: Networks with more direct routes and less unnecessary curvature tend to be more resilient.

In essence, the study highlights the importance of redundancy and adaptability in urban design. Cities that offer multiple pathways and avoid over-reliance on single points of failure are inherently more robust in the face of disaster. This isn't just about abstract theory; it's about real-world strategies that can save lives and minimize disruption.

Building a Better Tomorrow: How Planners Can Act Now

The USC study offers a clear roadmap for urban planners looking to enhance their city's resilience. By prioritizing connectivity, minimizing chokepoints, and promoting more direct routes, planners can create street networks that are better equipped to withstand whatever challenges the future may bring. This isn't just about reacting to disasters; it's about proactively building safer, more sustainable, and more connected communities for all.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.tra.2024.104016,

Title: Resilient By Design: Simulating Street Network Disruptions Across Every Urban Area In The World

Subject: physics.soc-ph cs.sy econ.gn eess.sy q-fin.ec stat.ap

Authors: Geoff Boeing, Jaehyun Ha

Published: 15-03-2024

Everything You Need To Know

What role do street networks play in a city's ability to withstand disasters?

Street networks are the 'arteries' of a city, crucial for the flow of people and goods. When these networks fail due to disasters like floods or earthquakes, the consequences can be catastrophic. The University of Southern California (USC) study highlights that the design of these networks directly impacts a city's resilience. Therefore, a well-designed street network is vital for a city's survival and ability to function during and after a disaster.

How does the concept of 'high-centrality nodes' affect a city's vulnerability during disruptions, according to the USC research?

The USC study found that high-centrality nodes, which are critical intersections and roadways, act as major chokepoints in a city's street network. When these nodes are compromised during a disaster, the entire transportation system can experience cascading failures, bringing the city to a standstill. This emphasizes the importance of identifying and protecting these critical points in urban planning to enhance resilience. This includes strategies to manage traffic or creating alternative routes.

What specific design characteristics make a city's street network more resilient to disasters, as identified by the USC study?

The USC study pinpoints three key characteristics. First, 'Connectivity is King,' meaning networks with more connections and alternative routes can better handle disruptions. Second, cities should 'Dodge the Chokepoints,' minimizing critical intersections that can cause widespread failures. Third, 'Less Circuitous is More,' implying that more direct routes enhance resilience. These factors combined contribute to building a more robust and adaptable urban environment capable of withstanding various types of disasters.

Can you explain the practical implications of the USC study for urban planners and policymakers?

The USC study provides a clear roadmap for urban planners and policymakers to enhance city resilience. It suggests prioritizing connectivity by adding alternative routes to distribute traffic flow, reducing reliance on chokepoints through careful design and infrastructure planning, and promoting direct routes to ensure efficient traffic flow even when disruptions occur. These actions will create safer, more sustainable, and more connected communities, improving their capacity to withstand and recover from disasters.

How does the USC research contribute to building safer, more sustainable, and connected communities?

The USC research offers actionable strategies for urban design that directly influence a city's ability to withstand disasters. By focusing on network design, particularly connectivity, chokepoint reduction, and direct routes, cities can proactively build resilience. This research emphasizes the importance of proactive planning in urban development. It moves beyond reactive measures to create infrastructure that is inherently more robust, adaptable, and capable of supporting essential services and maintaining community connections during and after disruptive events. This approach leads to safer, more sustainable and connected urban environments.