Maximizing Access in Transit Network Design

Hema Rayaprolu, Hao Wu, Bahman Lahoorpoor and David Levinson ()
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David Levinson: TransportLab, School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney

Working Papers from University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group

Abstract: This study adopts an Access-Oriented Design (AOD) framework for optimizing transit network design. We present and demonstrate a method to evaluate the best combination of local and express alternative transit system designs through the novel concept of ‘iso-access lines’. Two bus network system designs were explored for a greenfield development in suburban Sydney: through-routed transit lines (T-ways) with higher speeds and more direct service, but longer access and egress times, and local routes that provide additional spatial coverage. We developed scenarios with T-ways only, local routes only, and both, and computed transit access to jobs as a cumulative-opportunities measure for each scenario. Local routes offer greater overall access, while T-ways provide greater access-per-unit-cost. The optimal combination of the two was established by generating ‘isoaccess’ lines and determining access-maximizing combinations for a given cost by applying production-theory principles. For 15-min access, the optimal combinations had T-way service frequency equivalent to 0.48 times that of local routes. This ratio increased to 1.45, 2.05 and 2.63 for 30-min, 45- min and 60-min access respectively. In practice, the method can be applied to determine optimal transit combinations for any given budget and desired access level.

Keywords: transportation; accessibility; public transport; transport networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: R40 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Published in Journal of Public Transportation, 24 (2022)

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubtr.2022.100027 First version, 2022 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nex:wpaper:transportist-2022-maxaccess-8

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubtr.2022.100027

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