Towards a Sustainable Future: Dynamic Coordinated Development of Transportation and Urban-Rural Space Supported by New Technologies

Urban-rural transportation systems and spatial structures are the critical backbone supporting human social development. Coordinated development in these areas is fundamental for achieving several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
o SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
o SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
o SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
o SDG 13: Climate Action

However, rapid urbanization, climate change, and evolving social structures are intensifying pressing issues such as:
o Traffic congestion
o Rising energy consumption
o Spatial imbalances and environmental degradation
o Increased carbon emissions
o Social exclusion

Such challenges call for innovative, data-driven solutions that enable collaborative, dynamic, and sustainable planning decisions.
Emerging technologies—including big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), physics-informed neural networks (PINN), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Digital Twins—are unlocking new opportunities. These technologies foster deeper understanding of complex spatiotemporal interactions, enable sophisticated scenario simulations, and optimize resource allocation.

This Research Topic seeks contributions that unveil, simulate, and optimize the dynamic interaction between transportation systems and urban-rural spaces using advanced technologies. Our aim is to propose actionable strategies for a sustainable future, integrating theoretical innovation with practical application.

Key challenges to be addressed include:
o Urban-rural traffic congestion
o Excessive energy consumption and carbon emissions
o Imbalanced spatial resource allocation
o Unequal access to public services
o Vulnerability to climate change and social transformation

We invite original research, reviews, case studies, and methodological papers that tackle these challenges through multi-dimensional innovations—driven by big data, AI, and PINN—to promote systematic understanding, predictive simulation, and strategic planning.

Suggested Themes

1. Dynamic Interaction Mechanisms between Transportation and Urban-Rural Spaces
Exploration of multi-scale and multi-actor interactions affecting the spatial-temporal dynamics of transportation systems.
2. Intelligent Simulation and Dynamic Scenario Deduction
Application of AI, digital twins, or PINNs for dynamic prediction, scenario simulation, and outcome evaluation of transportation-spatial systems.
3. Resilient Collaboration for Urban-Rural Transportation
Strategies and frameworks to strengthen the collaborative resilience of transportation and spatial systems under multifaceted risks.
4. Sustainability-Driven Collaborative Optimization
Tools and models for optimizing energy, spatial, and infrastructure resources, reducing emissions, and advancing the SDGs.
5. Urban-Rural Collaborative Governance and Policy Support
Innovative governance mechanisms and policy measures supporting sustainable and coordinated urban-rural transformation.
6. Accessibility and Spatial Optimization of Public Service Facilities
Methods, metrics, and case studies optimizing the distribution and accessibility of public service facilities.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: sustainable urban-rural development, transportation-land use interaction, dynamic coordination, new technologies

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.