Street Legibility and Sustainable Urban Development: Insights from Saudi Arabia’s Addressing System

Urbanization, climate change, and the need for sustainable development are critical challenges facing cities worldwide. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable settlements. In Saudi Arabia, where urban expansion is accelerating, achieving sustainable cities requires an understanding of urban livability and effective navigation systems. This study explores the role of street legibility in enhancing urban livability and facilitating sustainable urban development. Through a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review and a survey of 295 households, this study assesses the effectiveness of Saudi Arabia’s street addressing system (SAS) based on 14 key legibility criteria. The analysis reveals that while 85.1% of participants are aware of their home addresses, only 25.8% have memorized them, and just 15.6% rely on the SAS for navigation. For navigation, most respondents opt for alternatives like sharing GPS locations (81.4%) or making calls (6.1%). The SAS met 2 of the 14 legibility criteria, partially fulfilled 4, and failed to meet 8, highlighting critical deficiencies. This study recommends simplifying address formats, incorporating street names, and adopting sequential numbering to improve the existing SAS. These insights are essential for urban planners and policymakers to improve street legibility, ultimately fostering more livable and sustainable cities.