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Evaluation of the Scenic Beauty of the Existing Landscape of Southern

Expressway and Suggestions to Improve the Landscape Using GIS and Remote
Sensing

Conference Paper · January 2022

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Evaluation of the Scenic Beauty of the Existing Landscape of Southern
Expressway and Suggestions to Improve the Landscape Using GIS and
Remote Sensing

Marasinghe, M.D.U.1, Gunawardena, A.R.2, Senevirathne, S.M.P.1, Dilrukshi,

R.P.W.A.1, Hettiarachci, M.H.S.M.1, Dissanayaka, D.M.N.S.1, Attanayake, U.1 & Beneragama.
C.K.*1 1Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya
2Central Environmental Authority, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
The occurrence of landslides, frequent accidents and
Article History: negative impacts on environmentally sensitive areas are
some of the issues associated with the Southern
Received: 25 July 2021
Expressway in Sri Lanka. Most of these issues could be
Accepted: 25 September 2021 resolved through proper landscape designing along the
highway. This study was intended to assess the existing
landscape and land cover/use types of the Southern
Expressway using GIS and remote sensing. Study area
Keywords: boundary of 1 km buffer zone along the expressway was
GIS, Land use, Greenness, Visual demarcated and existing land cover/ use types and
preference survey environmental sensitive areas were identified. Using
“Landsat 8 imageries”, a map was developed based on
Normal Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI) values within
the buffer zone. Landscape models were developed and a
visual preference survey was conducted using a focus
Citation:
group of 30 people. Results revealed that the expressway
Marasinghe, M.D.U., Gunawardena, is surrounded by environmentally sensitive areas,
A.R., Senevirathne, S.M.P., archaeological reserves, protected ancient monuments,
Dilrukshi, R.P.W.A., Hettiarachci, landslide prone areas, hydrological areas, forest and wild
M.H.S.M., Dissanayaka, D.M.N.S., life reserves. The greenness varied throughout the buffer
Attanayake, U. & Beneragama. C.K. zone. The visual preference survey revealed that the
(2021). Evaluation of the Scenic respondents preferred more natural landscape designs
Beauty of the Existing Landscape of which fully or partially cover the residential areas and
Southern Expressway and natural designs that fully screen the religious areas along
Suggestions to Improve the the highway. Respondents mostly preferred to have
landscape designs which express the importance of the
Landscape Using GIS and Remote
area with clear interpretative labelling. Visual preference
Sensing. Proceedings of SLIIT survey suggests that there is a need of area-specific
International Conference on landscape designs for the Southern Expressway and the
Advancements in Sciences and importance of human perception-based methods in
Humanities, 3-4 December, designing landscape.
Colombo, 55-61.

__________________________________________________________________________________
*
chalindab@agri.pdn.ac.lk
55
INTRODUCTION
Highway is a linear landscape (Wang et al.,
2013) with gentle curves, a little slope and
wide lanes. People use highways in greater
frequency with their busy life. Hence,
landscape design in highway has gradually
become one of the major elements of the
roadside environment. There are several
design objectives and key principles
relating design and management of the
roadside landscape such as safety of users,
reduction of travel related stresses of
drivers, harmonization of built
environment with the natural ecosystem,
ecologically soundness, minimal
maintenance, cost effectiveness and added
value to the built environment (Moffatt
and Kohler 2008).
The scenic quality of landscaping is
affected by physical features (e.g.
topography, vegetation patterns, slope,
building coverage, floor area ratio), and
the observer’s characteristics such as,
motion, location, personal background,
view angle, social characteristics, cultural
background, past experience, daily routine
and specific interests of individuals (Sung
et al., 2001). Hence, the opinions of
highway users should be considered to
increase the scenic quality of highways.
This is easily achievable through
landscape design visualization via two-
way communication between the designer
and the actual users (Hadi et al., 2012).
There are several computer-based
visualizations such as plans,
photomontages, 2D visualizations, 3D
visualizations and real-time visualizations
56
that have been recognized for a long
period in the decision-making process.
Southern highway is the first expressway
in Sri Lanka stretched for 126 km between
Kottawa to Godagama. Even though
Southern highway provides many benefits
such as reducing traffic, travel time from
Colombo to Matara, delay costs, fuel and,
attract private sector investors, expanding
tourism around coastal belt, development
of fisheries, agriculture and other
industries the landscape design was very
poor in terms of aesthetic value and safety
requirements which leads for travel
related stress, low attention to driving
with lower effectiveness of driving speeds.
The ecosystems consisting of wetlands
and forest marshes along the highway are
highly vulnerable to pollution. Moreover,
sensitive areas like residents and religious
places near the road especially suffer from
air and sound pollutions and, vibrations.
All these issues can be addressed through
proper investigation/ assessment of
existing landscape and land use types with
the participation of all stakeholders:
planners, designers, constructors and
consumers. This will lead to achieve a good
use of land with minimum destruction to
properties while keeping the natural
terrain and existing scenic quality and will
enhance the potential towards the
ecotourism in the area (Cañas et al., 2009).
Therefore, this study will be more
beneficial not only for the existing
expressways, but also construction and
maintenance of future expressways .
MATERIALS AND METHODS prone areas were mapped by the
Department of Agriculture.
The present study was conducted on the
Southern Expressway (from Kottawa to
The medium resolution (30 m) Landsat 8
Galanigama). The exiting land use, land
OLI Satellite images which have 11
cover types and important ecosystems
spectral bands were downloaded from the
types along the expressway up to 1 km
USGS (United State Geological Survey)
buffer zone were identified by using the
Earth explorer website and processed in
topographic maps (1: 50,000) developed
ERDAS imagine 2010 and ArcMap10
by Survey Department of Sri Lanka in
software. It was used to develop a map
1989, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2001 and
based on Normal Difference Vegetative
validated by visual interpretation
Index (NDVI) values to get an idea about
techniques using Google Earth Software.
the vegetative proportions or distribution
After that, a map was developed using
of greenness along the Southern
ArcGIS 10 mapping software for land
expressway within 1 km buffer zone. The
cover/use types. The delineated map was
formula to calculate NDVI is shown below.
overlaid on Google Earth after converting
into KML (Keyhole Markup Language) file (NIR − Red)
NDVI =
type. (NIR + Red)
Where RED is visible red reflectance, and
The environmental sensitive areas were
NIR is near infrared reflectance. The wave
identified based on the areas declared as
length range of NIR band is (750-1300
Environmental Protection Areas declared
nm), Red band is (600-700 nm), and Green
and mapped by Central Environment
band is (550 nm). The value of NDVI
Authority (CEA) and the area maps are in
ranges from -1 to +1. The data was
the part 111 of the scheduled of the
recorded in ERDAS Imagine software
Gazette Extra Ordinary No. 772/22 of 24th
(Bhandari et al., 2012).
June 1993 and subsequent amendments
(EIA regulations), under the provision of
In this study, 430 photographs were taken
the National Environmental Act.
from Kottawa to Kurudugahahetakma by
using a SONY®α digital camera with 18-70
Those identified areas were mapped by
angles and with a shutter speed of 100-
relevant departments such as; rivers,
1250 per second while traveling at a speed
canals, streams, estuaries, water bodies
of 60-100 km/h along the Expressway.
and reservoirs were mapped by the
Viewpoint was located slightly off-
Department of Survey; botanic gardens
centered of the road in the right lane and
and sanctuaries were mapped by
about 1.2 m above the pavement. Nine
Department of Wild Life Conservation;
photographs were purposely selected
heritage wilderness was mapped by the
including a bridge which was located over
Forest Department; archaeological and
the road, paddy field, shoulder area, a
historical reserves were mapped by the
plantation area, a landslide prone area, a
Department of Archaeology and erosion

57
residential area and a temple area. They
were edited by using Real time
landscaping Architect® software and
Microsoft office picture manager 2007 to
make different landscaping models
relevant to particular places.
buffer zone along the expressway were
identified.
Figure 1. Demarcated study area (1 km buffer
zone along the Southern expressway.

Visual preference survey was done with

30 random people as direct
communication showing edited
photographs using Microsoft Power Point.
According to the data of survey,
perception of the public was evaluated
and, found out the best options of
landscape design models to implement.
The Minitab 14 statistical software and
Microsoft excel 2007 were used to analyze
the collected data.
Figure 2. Location map of Figure 3. Map of
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION archaeological reserves, forest and wildlife
ancient or protected reserves areas
Demarcating the study area boundary monuments/buildings within/close to the
The main trace of southern expressway within/close to the buffer buffer zone.
zone.
consists of 126 km and it lies across four
districts (Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, and
Matara) within the wet zone. The study
area consisted of a 1 km buffer zone along
the expressway (Figure 1).

Identification of environmentally
sensitive areas
According to the Extra Ordinary Gazette
(No.722/22) dated 1993/06/24 the
environmentally sensitive sites and areas
have been identified and mapped by
responsible departments of Sri Lanka. As
shown in the Figure 2, archaeological
reserves, ancient or protected
monuments/buildings (ancient temples,
pagodas, fane, hermitages, and
inscriptions) within/close to the 1 km

58
As shown in Figure 3, there were no forest and vegetation. Areas with zero NDVI value
wild-life reserves area within the buffer zone could be identified as water bodies and
in Colombo and Matara districts but, Kudagal zero to 0.2 NDVI value could be identified
kanda and Gallanda kuttiya reserved forests as roads including Southern Expressway,
were very close to the buffer zone in Matara
built up areas and riversides. Areas with
district. Southern expressway has gone very
0.2 to 0.3 NDVI value could be identified as
close to the Kananakanda forest reserve and a
small part of Yagirala forest reserve which home gardens, marsh lands and paddy
were included in the buffer zone in Kalutara fields while patches of rubber plantations,
district. The expressway has gone through forest areas, and oil palm cultivations had
both Uragaha and Kottawa kombala proposed NDVI values above 0.3.
forest reserves and a part of Yakkatuwa forest
reserve was also included into the buffer zone Figure 6. NDVI map of southern expressway
in Galle district. According to the map within 1 km buffer zone
developed by the National Building Research
Organization (Figure 4), landslide prone areas
within the buffer zone along the expressway
could be identified only within the Kalutara
district. Significant watersheds and several
tributaries and minor streams such as Maha
oya, Kalu ganga, Benthota ganga, Welipenna
ganga, Gin ganga, Polwatta ganga (Figure 4),
were crossed by Southern Expressway.

Figure 4. Map of Figure 5. Map of

landslide prone hydrological areas
areas within 1 km within 1 km buffer
buffer zone along zone along the
the expressway expressway

Visual preference survey

As shown in the Figure 6, areas can be
identified according to the density of
According to the Friedman statistical
analysis there were significant (P<0.05)
differences among designed models. As
shown in the Figure 7(A), second model
with the concept of changing construction
material of the bridge has got the lowest
preference, while the highest preference
was given for the bridge with planting
flowering materials (Lowest sum of rank
was given for the most preferred model).
As shown in the Figure 7(B), second model

59
with screening the paddy field with
natural trees was the most preferred while
least preferred one was the fully covered
paddy field by a concrete wall. As shown in
the Figure 7(C), the fourth model with
depicts dancing water fountain during the
night along the roadside was the most
preferred model and the least preferred
one was the existing appearance without
artificial walls or natural trees or partially
covering with hedge with vegetation than
appearing residential areas while
traveling. As Figure 7(F) shows,
respondents preferred more on fully
screening religious areas with natural
trees and least preferred way was the
existing appearance with more expose to
the towards the road. As Figure 7(G)

Figure 7: (A), Landscape design model of front view of bridge which located over the road (B)
Landscape design models for view of paddy field, (C) Landscape design models for besides of
main Expressway during the night, (D) Landscape design models for shoulder area with steep
topography and prone to landside, (E) Landscape design models for residential area, (F)
Landscape design models for religious site,(G) Landscape design models to indicate the area
which the passenger/ driver presently passing though, (H) Landscape design models with
naming the site or showing the importance of the site using landscape elements, (I) Landscape
design models for shoulder area.

any light. According to the analyzed shows, respondents preferred to have

results, as Figure 7(D) shows plants with
retaining wall was the most preferred and
second preferred way was the grass cover
and existing appearance was preferred to
covering it with only the concrete
retaining wall. As Figure 7(E) shows,
respondents preferred more on fully
covering the residential areas with
landscape designs along the roadside to
express the clue on the area with using an
artificial landscape element mostly and
having a clue with natural landscape
elements and notice the name of area
directly with words was the second
preferred way of respondents while least
preferred way was the only notice the
name of area directly with words. As

60
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