Browsing by Author "Guthrie, Andrew"
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Item Achieving System-Level, Transit-Oriented Jobs-Housing Balance: Perspectives of Twin Cities Developers and Business Leaders(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2013-08) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, AndrewFully realizing the potential of the growing regional transit system will depend in large part on the actions of private-sector real estate developers and employers. With support from the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grant awarded to the Council by HUD, the EPA and USDOT, researchers from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs conducted a series of conversations with Twin Cities developers and business executives aimed at developing strategies for attracting a wide range of affordable housing choices and living-wage jobs to transit station areas. The research approach centered on in-depth, open-ended interviews with developers and business leaders. Questions focused on primary site selection factors, the role of transportation/transit access in site selection and how that role might change as the regional transitway system matures. Interview transcripts were analyzed through both close readings by the research team and content analysis using the NVivo software package. The research found significant, pent-up demand for transit accessible locations along with significant obstacles to actually selecting them, including automobile-centric development regulations, the lack of zoning allowing TOD's to be built by right, and a need for employers to continue meeting current employees' automotive access needs while preparing for future employees' transit access demands. Policy recommendations include encouraging public-private sector communication, especially with types of developers and employers that demonstrate strong interest in transit access, promoting diverse, walkable neighborhoods in and out of transitway corridors, promoting diverse affordable housing options by allowing consideration of transportation savings possible with transit and accelerating the development of high-quality local and regional transit.Item Advancing Transportation Equity: Research and Practice(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2019-02) Van Dort, Leoma; Guthrie, Andrew; Fan, Yingling; Baas, Gina; yingling@umn.eduTransportation contributes to many societal outcomes, including employment, health, and wealth. However, disparities and inequities in transportation systems, services, and decision-making processes disproportionately impact underserved and underrepresented communities. This study seeks to create a better understanding of current research and practice and recommend future research and practice that can advance transportation equity in Minnesota. To that end, the research team conducted a literature review that summarizes recent developments in the field of transportation equity, reviewed existing equity-focused programs within and beyond the transportation sector, and engaged multiple stakeholder groups, including a project advisory group with experts in addressing disparities and inequities, a group of transportation users and equity stakeholders, and community members. The study presents a working definition of transportation equity, recommends action steps for MnDOT and its partners to consider in advancing transportation equity, and identifies directions for future research and practice that can advance transportation equity in the state of Minnesota.Item Assessing Neighborhood and Social Influences of Transit Corridors(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2012-07) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, AndrewThis research investigates neighborhood and social influences of major transit improvements in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. To delineate a comprehensive picture, this research focuses on four transit corridors—Hiawatha LRT, NorthStar Commuter Rail, Cedar Avenue BRT, and Central Corridor LRT—each of which is at a different stage of planning, construction, or operation. The project undertakes a general quantification of neighborhood social change in transit served areas. For each corridor, the researchers also investigate inter-neighborhood and inter-corridor variations in social change, and examine residents' and business owners' perceptions of neighborhood social change, as well as of the specific impacts of transit corridors. A mix of quantitative analysis and survey research is used. By examining a wide range of system development stages including planning, construction, and operation, research findings will help policy makers determine at what point in the timelines of major transit capital projects policy responses are needed and likely to be most effective. By covering a variety of transit technologies including LRT, BRT and Commuter Rail, as well as a diverse range of urban and suburban neighborhoods, results from this research will help policy makers make more informed decisions about how to prevent and mitigate socially harmful neighborhood changes associated with various types of transitways. The research also presents strategies for engaging residents and businesses with negative, neutral and positive perceptions of transit projects in the transitway development process.Item Assessing Neighborhood and Social Influences of Transit Corridors (Research Brief)(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2012-10) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, AndrewThis four-page document summarizes a study (Assessing Neighborhood and Social Influences of Transit Corridors, CTS 12-19) that assessed how residents and businesses along transit corridors in the Twin Cities perceive neighborhood changes caused by transitways. Key findings include: (1) The majority of residents and businesses in transitway corridors have a positive view of transit induced neighborhood change. The extent of positive neighborhood change that transitway corridor residents and businesses anticipate varies widely from corridor to corridor. (2) People with any experience using light-rail transit, frequent transit users, and transit-dependent riders all have overwhelmingly positive attitudes regarding transit-induced neighborhood change. (3) Racial differences in perceptions of transit-induced neighborhood change do exist, with specific groups on certain corridors having markedly more negative or positive views than others. (4) Five key strategies may help address negative perceptions and possible negative impacts of transit-induced neighborhood change: address misperceptions, engage the neutrals, play to the strengths, include transit users, and conduct community-sensitive planning.Item Can Transit-Oriented Development Enhance Social Equity: Current State and Active Promotion of Equitable Transit-Oriented Development(2018-07) Guthrie, AndrewPromoting social equity is an important part of the purpose of public transit. However, social equity has historically played a much more minor role in transit-oriented development. High quality transit has been shown to increase station area property values and cause concerns about the displacement of low-income residents by high-income residents when the desirability of a neighborhood increases. In combination, these dynamics of transportation and real estate economics mean that transit-oriented development is often not a natural social equity promoter. This thesis examines equity implications of social and economic change in the areas surrounding newly implemented transit stations, as well as public sector efforts to promote equitable transit-oriented development. I employ a mixed-methods approach including quantitative and qualitative components. Building from the bid-rent and rent gap theories, I examine change in station area low-, medium- and high-wage working population and jobs as a function of transit mode and difference in accessibility in a national, longitudinal analysis. I also explore public efforts to promote equitable transit-oriented development in the context of Harvey’s concept of entrepreneurial urbanism though a series of in-depth interviews with senior program staff, taking an interpretivist approach focused on interviewees’ shared understandings of their work and current limitations to it. In the national, longitudinal analysis, I find significant in-migration of high-wage workers to station areas, but not of low- or medium-wage workers, significant gains of high-wage jobs and losses of low- and medium-wage jobs. In the interpretivist analysis, I find process of equitable transit-oriented development promotion to be sharply constrained by current urban governance structures and relationships to the private sector. I close by recommending a focus on both preservation and production of affordable housing and entry-level, living wage jobs in station areas, careful consideration of the appropriate roles of mixed-income and all-affordable development, as well as critical consideration of when the entrepreneurial model of urban governance is at least benign and when alternatives to it ought to be considered.Item Carver County Baby Boomer Readiness Assessment Tools(Minneapolis: Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, 2009) Guthrie, Andrew; Cedarleaf Dahl, ErikItem Collaboration in mitigating spatial and skills mismatch: Exploring shared understandings between transit planners and workforce professionals(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2018) Guthrie, Andrew; Burga, Fernando; Fan, YinglingTransit-dependent workers frequently find themselves caught between spatial mismatch (a lack of transportation options to reach jobs one is qualified for) and skills mismatch (a lack of needed qualifications for jobs one can reach). Historically, policy responses to these twin problems have essentially been siloed, with some responses focused on improving disadvantaged workers' mobility and others on skills training. Using the Twin Cities as an example of a healthy regional economy with areas of persistent disadvantage, this paper addresses the following research question: How do transit planners and workforce development professionals perceive the issues of spatial and skills mismatch and collaboration? This analysis explores this question through in-depth interviews with 16 transit planners and workforce development providers involved with one or more of seven study areas. The authors create an explanatory typology of areas to address with integrated transit planning and workforce development, interpret informants’ intersubjective understandings of the state of efforts, and apply Innes and Booher’s Diversity-Interdependence-Authentic Dialogue (DIAD) model of collaborative rationality to explore opportunities for deepening collaboration. The paper concludes with policy recommendations to connect marginalized workers with broader opportunities through transit planning and workforce development collaboration.Item Economic Development Impacts of Bus Rapid Transit(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2016-01) Guthrie, Andrew; Fan, YinglingBus rapid transit (BRT) will play an increasingly important role in the Twin Cities transit system in the future. A key aim of transit corridor investments is improving access to jobs, particularly jobs for which disadvantaged workers are likely to be qualified. Transit improvements enhance job access by shortening journey times, but the greatest possible accessibility benefits require station-area job growth that is not restricted to central business districts. This research compares job growth within one half mile of new light rail and bus rapid transit stations implemented in the Twin Cities and peer regions between 2003 and 2010, broken down by sector are wage categories. Fixed transit infrastructure (light rail tracks or BRT dedicated guideways), total street mileage in station areas, proximity to central business districts and overall regional economic strength are associated with more station-area jobs. Policy recommendations include building a strong corridor identity for arterial BRT lines, proactive job growth promotion efforts along BRT lines in general and a continued focus on social and racial equity concerns.Item Exploring Strategies for Promoting Modal Shifts to Transitways(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2015-12) Cao, Jason; Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Zhang, YiTransitways represent large public investments whose positive impacts must be maximized whenever possible to justify the expenditures they entail. Prominent among those looked-for positive impacts is the encouragement of automobile-to-transit mode shifts by attracting increased transitway ridership. This study explores the impacts of travel time, travel cost, and population density on mode choice, using the 2010 Travel Behavior Inventory. We found a monetary value of in-vehicle travel time of $17.5/hour and a transfer penalty of $10, equivalent to 35 minutes in-vehicle travel time. Density, especially at destinations, has important effects, but travel time is the key to promote the shift to transit. The research also employs a Direct Ridership Model (DRM) to predict boardings at the station level as a function of transit-supportive policies. We find that station-area focused policies promoting affordable housing and sidewalks on all streets in station areas or entire cities have a significant and positive impact on ridership if there are sufficient potential destinations in the immediate station area, measured as the number of Google places within 100 meters. Based on our results, we stress the importance of station area affordable housing as a transit system efficiency measure, as well as for the social equity reasons it is usually encouraged. We recommend strengthening proaffordable housing policies and pro-sidewalk policies in Twin Cities station areas, supporting and encouraging for the neighborhood-scale commercial development that is required for their efficacy, and the continued implementation of pro-affordable housing policies and pro-sidewalk policies as the regional transitway system expands.Item Hopkins Downtown: Bridging the Historic Mainstreet with the Future of Light Rail(Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, 2009-05-20) Alquist, Greta; Guthrie, Andrew; Hiniker, ColeItem Impact of Light Rail Implementation on Labor Market Accessibility: A Transportation Equity Perspective.(University of Minnesota, 2012) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Levinson, David MThis study examines transit's role in promoting social equity by assessing impacts of recent transit changes in the Twin Cities, including opening of the Hiawatha light rail line, on job accessibility among workers of different wage categories. Geo-spatial and descriptive analyses are employed to examine the magnitude of the accessibility changes and where changes occur. This study also uses regression analysis to estimate block-level before- and after-LRT accessibility as a function of the block's locational characteristics and demographic composition. The analysis finds that proximity to light rail stations and bus stops offering direct rail connections are associated with large, statistically significant gains in accessibility to low-wage jobs. These gains stand out from changes in accessibility for the transit system as a whole. The paper concludes by discussing implications of the study results for informing more equitable transit polices in the future.Item Impact of light-rail implementation on labor market accessibility: A transportation equity perspective(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2012) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Levinson, DavidThis study seeks to examine transit’s role in promoting social equity by assessing the before-after impacts of recent transit changes in the Twin Cities, including the opening of the Hiawatha light-rail line, on job accessibility among workers of different wage categories. Geospatial, descriptive, and regression analyses find that proximity to light-rail stations and bus stops offering direct rail connections are associated with large, statistically significant gains in accessibility to low-wage jobs. These gains stand out from changes in accessibility for the transit system as a whole. Implications of the study results for informing more equitable transit polices are discussed.Item Impact of Twin Cities Transitways on Regional Labor Market Accessibility: A Transportation Equity Perspective(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2010-06) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Teng, RoseThis study evaluates the impact of the Hiawatha light rail line on job accessibility for the economically disadvantaged, seeking to further understanding of transit’s role in promoting social equity, and to identify commute flow changes among low-wage workers. The results will inform more equitable transit polices and improvements in the future. Numerous studies find spatial mismatch is an impediment to employment for low-wage workers. While transit is recognized as a tool for improving outcomes, results of empirical research are mixed. Several studies find positive relationships; others find none. The study examines changes in jobs accessible by transit throughout the service day. We utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map analysis, summary statistics and regression analysis. Regression models estimate before- and after-LRT accessibility as a function of distance to the nearest transit stop, location within the immediate area of a light rail station or other transit premium stop, and of various demographic variables. We examine shifts in actual home-to-work commute flows using the Longitudinal Employment and Housing Database (LEHD) Origin-Destination Matrix. We employ GIS map analysis, summary statistics and regression analysis. Regression models estimate shifts in where individuals commute from and to as a function of distance to the nearest transit stop at both ends of a commute, location within the immediate area of a light rail station or other premium transit stop at both ends of a commute, and of various demographic variables. The report makes recommendations for applying our method to future transitways. Policy implications are discussed.Item Job Growth Impacts of Bus Rapid Transit (Research Brief)(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2016-05) Guthrie, Andrew; Fan, YinglingThis two-page research brief summarizes the research objectives and findings for research report CTS 16-02 on the economic development impacts of bus rapid transit.Item Lent Township Rural Transit Center(Minneapolis: Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, 2009) Guthrie, Andrew; Aitchison, Kate; Dahlheimer, JustinItem Linking the Unemployed to Jobs: Integrated Transit Planning and Workforce Development (Research Brief)(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2016-09) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Das, Kirti VardhanThis two-page research brief summarizes the objectives and findings for research report CTS 16-05, Spatial and Skills Mismatch of Unemployment and Job Vacancies.Item Multimodal Connections with Transitways: Ridership, Access Mode, and Route Choice Implications(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2019-03) Guthrie, Andrew; Fan, Yingling; Khani, Alireza; Nowak, JacquelineTransitways—premium transit corridors employing technologies such as Light Rail Transit or Bus Rapid Transit—often depend on a variety of access and egress modes to connect users with their trip origins and destinations. This study seeks to create better understanding of how users access transitway stations by applying mode choice models, route choice models, and direct ridership models. Choice models were applied to revealed-preference transit passenger data from the Twin Cities show key components to user decisions regarding how to reach high-quality transit. To explore users’ choice of routes through the transit systems, schedule-based shortest path and multi-criterion shortest path algorithms were combined to investigate whether transit riders choose to take the shortest path between their origin and destination, a subjectively shortest path, or neither. In terms of ridership models, Poisson regression model were used to estimate average weekday boardings at transitway stations in 10 regions around the United States as a function of pedestrian, bicycle, and bus connections.Item Perception of Waiting Time at Transit Stops and Stations(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2016-02) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Levinson, DavidWaiting time in transit travel is often perceived negatively and high-amenity stops and stations are becoming increasingly popular as strategies for mitigating transit riders’ aversion to waiting. However, beyond recent evidence that realtime transit arrival information reduces perceived waiting time, there is limited empirical evidence as to which other specific station and stop amenities can effectively influence user perceptions of waiting time. To address this knowledge gap, the authors conducted a passenger survey and video-recorded waiting passengers at different types of transit stops and stations to investigate differences between survey-reported waiting time and video-recorded actual waiting time. The authors employ regression analysis to explain the variation in riders’ reported waiting time as a function of their objectively observed waiting time, as well as station and stop amenities, while controlling for weather, time of day, personal demographics, and trip characteristics. Based on the regression results, most waits at stops with no amenities are perceived at least 1.3 times as long as they actually are. Basic amenities including benches and shelters significantly reduce perceived waiting times. Women waiting for more than 10 minutes in surroundings perceived to be insecure report waits as dramatically longer than they really are, and longer than do men in the same situation. The authors recommend a focus on providing basic amenities at stations and stops as broadly as possible in transit systems, and a particular focus on stops on low-frequency routes and in less safe areas for security measures.Item Smartphone-Based Interventions for Sustainable Travel Behavior: The University of Minnesota Parking Contract Holder Study(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2020-10) Fan, Yingling; Becker, Andy; Ryan, Galen; Wolfson, Julian; Guthrie, Andrew; Liao, Chen-FuInnovative mobility apps have the power to transform the relationship between transportation networks and travelers. Capitalizing on the recent advancement in smartphone technology, this project develops a smartphone-based behavior intervention tool—named Daynamica—to provide customized, user-centered messages and graphics for promoting travel mode shifts from driving to more sustainable modes. The project tests the effectiveness of the intervention tool among University of Minnesota (UMN) parking contract holders. For each car trip made by a participant, the tool provides a mode shift plan based on the exact trip origin and destination. The tool also provides information describing the environmental impacts of the specific car trip and the personal benefits of switching to the alternative mode. The findings show that although 92 percent of participants are interested in trying alternative modes, in general, when it comes to specific trip considerations, only 36 percent of the car trips are considered reasonable alternative modes. There is ample interest among the most car-dependent population—parking contract holders—to explore alternative mode options; however, their interest is tempered by the limited alternative mode offerings in the region. Thus, it is recommended that transportation practitioners and policy makers improve these offerings. Furthermore, this research generates useful data to identify factors influencing mode shifting. Housing ownership, being male, making stops during the trip, and a late departure time for the morning commute are negatively associated with participants' receptiveness toward mode shifting. Finally, the report includes a novel analysis exploring the activity/trip chaining behaviors of the study participants.Item Spatial and Skills Mismatch of Unemployment and Job Vacancies(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2016-05) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Das, Kirti VardhanDisadvantaged urban workers often find themselves in a double bind. They may be qualified for many entry-level jobs, but have no way of reaching suburban employment centers; they may also be easily able to reach many jobs nearby, but lack the qualifications for them. These two statements describe the interconnected problems of spatial mismatch and skills mismatch. This report studies the current state of spatial and skills mismatch in the region, as well as coordination between transit planning and workforce development and opportunities to improve that coordination. The research finds greatly varying transit access to job vacancies across the region, with some disadvantaged areas having relatively low access. Proposed transit improvements would have modest regional effects on spatial mismatch, but large localized benefits in disadvantaged areas. Important "sweet spots" for workforce development exist, defined as in-demand occupations with low education requirements that are likely to pay a living wage. Transit planners and workforce development professionals both call for greater coordination between their fields. The report recommends redefining "accessible jobs" based on transit access, not geography, considering every stage of connecting workers with jobs, from what skills they have, to what training is available, to what jobs can be reached by transit, as well as collecting regional data on job seekers' skills. The report also recommends identifying employers with labor supply problems, considering disadvantaged workers’ complex schedules, engaging with TMO's and pursuing creative first mile/last mile solutions to connect workplaces with transit lines, as well as pursuing transit-oriented economic development.