Quarterly of Geographical Research

Aims: The balanced distribution of urban services and infrastructure is one of the prerequisites for efficient urban management. In recent years, the proper siting of CNG fueling stations has gained increasing importance due to their role in enhancing transportation safety and efficiency and reducing environmental hazards. The present study aims to identify suitable zones for the establishment of Compressed Natural Gas stations within the city.
Methodology: This study was an applied-descriptive study conductred in 2024 in Mahabad. In this study, Geographic Information System was used to prepare layers related to criteria affecting site selection, including topography, land use, soil type, distance from roads, faults, fire stations, and rivers. Subsequently, pairwise comparisons of the criteria were conducted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process, and the weight of each criterion was calculated using Expert Choice software. Weighted layers were then integrated within the GIS environment to produce the final site suitability map.
Findings: The distance from urban roads and distance from fire stations had the highest importance in locating Compressed Natural Gas stations in Mahabad city, while criteria such as elevation, distance from green spaces, and rivers had the least impact. The final spatial suitability map indicated that about 60% of the urban area has moderate to high suitability. Moreover, matching the existing stations with the suitability map showed that all four active Compressed Natural Gas stations in Mahabad city were located in suitable and highly suitable zones.
Conclusion: Mahabad city has a good capacity for the development of Compressed Natural Gas stations.