Spatial Effects of Urban Road Network Development on Land Surface Temperature and Vegetation Dynamics: The Case of Selçuklu District (2015–2025)

Abstract

In the Selçuklu district of Konya province, changes associated with the expanding road network, together with variations in Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) between 2015 and 2025, were evaluated. In this context, Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were employed to assess the relationship between transportation infrastructure transformation and changes in the urban thermal environment and vegetation dynamics. Landsat satellite data were processed on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, and NDVI and LST analyses were conducted for the summer months (June–July–August) of 2015 and 2025. Road network data were obtained from OpenStreetMap (OSM) via the Overpass Turbo interface, and spatial analyses were carried out in the ArcGIS environment.The findings indicate that the total road network length increased by 28.75% (approximately 360 km) over the ten-year period. This increase was mainly concentrated in residential, track, and secondary road classes, reflecting the acceleration of urban expansion processes. In parallel, a significant rise in surface temperatures was observed, with median LST values increasing from 33.38°C to 42.12°C. NDVI analyses revealed generally limited overall change, although the median NDVI value increased by approximately 7.86%. However, spatial variations indicate vegetation loss in areas of intense urban development. Consistent with the inverse relationship between NDVI and LST, areas with reduced vegetation exhibited higher temperature increases, whereas lower temperature values were observed in areas with dense vegetation.Overall, the results demonstrate that road network expansion has significant implications not only for transportation development but also for urban thermal conditions and vegetation patterns. Integrating environmental indicators such as LST and NDVI into road network planning can support decision-makers in mitigating urban heat accumulation, optimizing transportation networks, and promoting sustainable urban development.