Browsing by Subject "Light rail transit"

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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, Andrew
Fully 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.
Assessing Neighborhood and Social Influences of Transit Corridors
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2012-07) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew
This 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.
Assessing the impacts of Light Rail Transit on urban land in Manila
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2010) Pacheco-Raguz, Javier
This paper presents an assessment of impacts of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) in terms of accessibility and distance as they relate to variables such as land values, land uses, and population densities in Manila, Philippines. Using correlations and regressions, these variables are analyzed against an accessibility index and network distances obtained from a model built within a Geographic Information System (GIS). Land values, land uses, and population densities are influenced in a limited, though consistent, way by the accessibility provided by LRT1 and the distance to it. The analysis of impacts after the construction of LRT1 found that accessibility and distance were only consistent influences for residential land values, with marginal results for the rest of the variables. These results, when contrasted with the urban configuration of Manila and the studies reviewed, show that the limited impacts may be a consequence of good accessibility before LRT1 and the lack of complementary planning and policies for taking advantage of its influence.
The effect of light rail transit on land-use development in a city without zoning
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2017) Lee, Richard J.; Sener, Ipek N.
Light rail transit (LRT) has become a popular strategy to improve accessibility and mobility in the United States. It has also been touted as a tool to spur urban growth, higher-density development, and revitalization in large, auto-dependent cities like Houston, Texas. Although traditionally known as sprawling and highly auto-oriented, Houston has greatly expanded its light rail system in recent years. The city is also unique in that it is by far the largest city in the United States without zoning ordinances. The city of Houston is used as a case study to examine land-use development around LRT stations. Analysis of parcel-level land-use data from 2005–2014 revealed a spike in commercial development along the original light rail corridor, approximately 4 to 10 years after its opening. Land-use development along the newer light rail corridors was more modest and not considerably different than the control corridors. Small changes in the levels of high-density residential housing and land-use mix near light rail stations indicated that efforts to encourage transit-oriented development have not yet had much effect.
The effect of light rail transit service on nearby property values: Quasi-experimental evidence from Seattle
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2018) Ransom, Michael R.
This paper examined the effect of the construction of light rail transit stations on surrounding residential property values in Seattle, Washington. It studied sales of homes in the areas around the seven stations that serve primarily residential areas in the Rainier Valley, using a difference-in-differences regression technique to obtain plausibly causal estimates of the effect of new rail service. For these seven stations, the estimated impact of light rail service was positive for only one station and negative for two stations. Estimated impacts for the other stations were small and statistically insignificant. These results suggest that light rail service did not provide value to the neighborhoods in the Rainier Valley of Seattle. I speculate that the transport service provided by light rail was not a significant improvement relative to the bus lines that serviced the area before light rail was built.
Evaluation of land use-transportation systems with the Analytic Network Process
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2010) Banai, Reza
Developments in models and methods of urban systems have increasingly drawn attention to the joint effect of land use and transportation on behavioral and policy relevance, with multicriteria evaluation of and attention to the site-level analysis of spatial impacts. In this paper, we use Saaty’s Analytic Network Process (ANP), a systems-oriented method, to contribute to the emerging methodological developments in land use and transportation systems evaluation, planning, and forecasting. The ANP is applied to the problem of light rail route selection with station area land use and property value among multiple criteria. The application shows how the analysis of land use and transportation as elements of an urban system with feedback is facilitated by the ANP with data parsimony in the ex ante estimation of site-specific, spatial-economic impacts.
An Examination of the Potential to Reduce the Cost of an Underground LRT Alignment through Geologic Planning and Technological Innovation: Phase I
(1987-09) American Underground-Space Association
The question of whether Twin Cities Metropolitan Region transportation needs should be served by fixed rail transit has been debated for many years. It appears that the issue may be approaching resolution as a result of the formation of the Regional Transit Board (RTB) and recent activity on the part of Hennepin County in forming a Regional Rail Authority and moving ahead with planning activity. Some important questions about light rail (LRT), such as the capacity of the system, are being answered, but others are not resolved. One of these is whether to site portions of a light rail system underground. While many decisionmakers endorse the worth of an underground alignment in at least the most densely developed urban areas, the cost versus benefit to construct underground versus a surface alignment has been an important factor.
Exposure, timing, and vulnerability: The role of public transport in inducing gentrification
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2021) Fernando, Malithi; Heinen, Eva; Johnson, Daniel
Gentrification is an increasingly common phenomenon in many urban neighbourhoods. While cities invest in more sustainable travel options for their residents, there is limited literature on its connection to gentrification of the surrounding areas. Understanding whether these investments induce gentrification is essential to ensure the positive impacts of public transport are not undermined by the displacement it may create. This paper presents a multi-analysis approach to studying gentrification, defined by a bi-axial definition of neighbourhood change which considers the negative components (displacement) and positive components (neighbourhood upgrading) of gentrification. We focus specifically on the extent to which exposure to public transport induces gentrification-like changes in neighbouring communities, the influence of time on the kind and magnitude of changes, and whether disinvested communities are most vulnerable. We analyse neighbourhood changes in Manchester, UK, in response to the introduction of the Metrolink tram network, and conclude that there is evidence of gentrification in areas with access to new light rail. We conclude that the length of exposure has a significant impact on the magnitude and direction of change for certain indicators of gentrification. We find mixed results regarding the susceptibility of disinvested communities to gentrification.
Green Line LRT: Job Accessibility Impacts in Minneapolis and Saint Paul
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2015-06) Owen, Andrew; Kadziolka, Margot
This report presents the results of an analysis of accessibility to jobs for all Census blocks in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN, before and after the start of Green Line LRT service. Accessibility, also referred to as "connectivity," measures the potential for interactions between people and destinations in different locations. The accessibility metric used in this analysis is the number of jobs that can be reached by transit within 30 minutes of travel during the 7–9 AM period. For example, from an individual block it might be possible to reach 10,000 jobs within 30 minutes by transit on average between 7 and 9 AM. Residents of Saint Paul experience the greatest increase in access to jobs: a year after the opening of the Green Line, workers in Saint Paul can, on average, reach over 2,000 more jobs within 30 minutes by transit than they could previously — a 5.3% increase. This analysis suggests that had the Green Line been implemented without any supporting changes to the regional bus network, accessibility benefits would have been limited to areas near the new rail stations. The relatively low residential density of the area means that a single transit line (whether bus or rail) can reach only a small minority of residents. A well-designed network of routes can provide access to a much larger area, and can help distribute the benefits of new investments like the Green Line throughout the community.
The Hiawatha Line: Impacts on Land Use and Residential Housing Value
(Center for Transportation Studies, 2010-02) Goetz, Edward G.; Ko, Kate; Hagar, Aaron; Ton, Hoang; Matson, Jeff
This report presents the results of an examination of the economic and land-use impacts of the Hiawatha Light Rail Line. Specifically, the report contains findings on the impact of the line on residential property values, housing investment, and land-use patterns. Property value impacts were determined through the creation of a hedonic pricing model for single-family and multi-family residential properties within a one-half mile radius of the Hiawatha Line stations. Price trends within station areas were examined both prior to and after completion of the Hiawatha Line in 2004 and in comparison to a control area of southeast Minneapolis. Housing investment trends were investigated through an examination of building permit data, also broken down into pre- and post-construction periods. Land use patterns were examined through analysis of the Metropolitan Council’s seven-county land use data base. The findings indicate that construction of the Hiawatha Line has had a positive effect on property values within station areas. The effect is limited to the west side of the line; on the east side a four-lane highway and a strip of industrial land uses intervenes and eliminates any positive impact of the line. Results also show a high level of residential investment (as measured by dollar value of the investment) within station areas compared to the control area. No changes in land use patterns were detected since completion of the light rail line. This study demonstrates that completion of the Hiawatha Line has generated value and investment activity in the Minneapolis housing market.
The impact of a new light rail system on single-family property values in Charlotte, North Carolina
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2012) Yan, Sisi; Delmelle, Eric; Duncan, Michael
This paper examines the impact of a new light rail system on single-family housing values in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1997 to 2008. We use a Hedonic Price Analysis (HPA) to estimate how proximity to light rail, housing characteristics, and spatial components (at a block group level) affect single-family housing values. The same method is applied to each of the four time periods (t1, t2, t3, t4) that coincide with the pre-planning, planning, construction, and operation phase of the light rail system. We observe a trend that suggests a greater desirability to live closer to a light rail station as the transit system becomes operational.
Impact of Transitways on Travel on Parallel and Adjacent Roads and Park-and-ride Facilities
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2021-01) Webb, Alex; Tao, Tao; Khani, Alireza; Cao, Jason; Wu, Xinyi
Transitways such as light rail transit (LRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT) provide fast, reliable, and high-capacity transit service. Transitways have the potential to attract more riders and take a portion of the auto mode share, reducing the growth of auto traffic. Park-and-ride (PNR) facilities can complement transit service by providing a viable choice for residents who are without walking access to transit or those who prefer better transit service such as LRT or BRT. In this study, we conducted two research tasks on Transitways services in the Twin Cities region in Minnesota; 1) to examine the impact of the operation of the Green Line LRT on the annual average daily traffic (AADT) of its adjacent roads, and 2) to estimate a PNR location choice model in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Impacts of light rail in a mid-sized city: Evidence from Olsztyn, Poland
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2021) Gadziński, Jędrzej; Radzimski, Adam
Investments in light rail transit (LRT) have become increasingly popular solutions to promote sustainable urban transportation. However, their impacts on cities are still subject to discussion in the academic community. There is a clear need to better understand the potential impacts of LRT projects, particularly in contexts other than major cities. In this study, we focus on the Olsztyn tram project, which has been implemented in a city of 173,000 residents situated in northeastern Poland. The paper combines different perspectives and data sources, including a study of residents’ stated preferences concerning travel behavior and modelling of housing price effects using the difference-in-differences approach. Our results suggest that the Olsztyn tram project led to a moderate change in travel behavior by increasing the frequency of public transport use but did not result in a substantial shift away from car commuting. Concerning the property market, a decline in prices was observed during the construction phase, but no statistically significant effects were found after completion.
The impacts of light rail on residential property values in a non-zoning city: A new test on the Houston METRORail transit line
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2019) Pan, Qisheng
The impacts of rail transit system on residential property values have been examined for many metropolitan areas in the U.S. But there are few studies on the effects of light rail in a non-zoning city. As the rail transit in the largest non-zoning city, Houston’s light rail transit line, or the so-called METRORail, has not received much attention from the planning research society since it opened to the public in 2004. A previous study by the author utilized 2007 household data to analyze the impacts of Houston’s METRORail line and found the net effects of the rail transit line change significantly at different distances from the rail stations. One limitation of that study was that the physical environment and neighborhood characteristics of the station areas may not have had notable changes over a relatively short time span, i.e., three years after the opening of the light rail. This study employs 2010 InfoUSA household data to re-examine the effects of Houston’s METRORail line. Similar to the previous studies, the author adopts a traditional ordinary linear regression (OLS) to investigate the contribution of a set of variables representing the physical, neighborhood, and accessibility characteristics of properties, and also employs a multi-level regression model (MLR) to examine the hierarchical structures of spatial data explicitly. In addition, this study tests the spatial autocorrelation in the modeling process and analyzes its effects on the results. The modeling results suggest that the METRORail line has had significant net positive effects on residential property values. The MLS model captures the difference of these effects with more spatial details. The spatial regression model improves model fit, but spatial autocorrelation is not completely eliminated.
The Influences of the Hiawatha LRT on Changes in Travel Behavior: A Retrospective Study on Movers
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2015-11) Cao, Jason; Ermagun, Alireza
Following scant evidence for the effects of proximity to rail transit on auto use, we pinpoint the impacts of rail transit and neighborhood characteristics on both transit and car use in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. In this vein, we apply the structural equations modeling approach on 597 residents who moved into the Hiawatha light rail transit (LRT) corridor after it opened. Using a quasi-longitudinal design to compare the behavior of movers into the Hiawatha and control corridors, we found that the Hiawatha LRT acts as both a catalyst and a magnet. Movers into the Hiawatha corridor experience transit improvement, which increases transit use and reduces car use. The LRT also enables transit-liking people who were unable to realize their preference previously to relocate near the LRT. However, the LRT has no significant effects on changes in auto ownership. This suggests that besides transit infrastructure, planners should promote transit-friendly neighborhood characteristics.
Open for business? Effects of Los Angeles Metro Rail construction on adjacent businesses
(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2017) Ray, Rosalie
Recent court cases and news reports have focused on the effects of transit construction on business revenue and survival, yet the topic is underexplored in the scholarly literature. This paper examines whether transit construction negatively affected the revenue and survival of businesses along the second segment of the Los Angeles Metro Rail Red Line under Vermont and Hollywood Boulevards. Using National Establishment Time-Series business data, the research shows that business survival was significantly lower among businesses within 400 meters of stations, where cut and cover construction was used. A difference-in-differences technique was employed to determine whether revenue loss was the main mechanism by which businesses were displaced, but revenue loss was not found to be significant. The increased failure rate provides evidence that construction effects of mitigation programs for businesses should be standard practice when building new transit lines. Further research and data collection on business tenure are needed to understand the dynamics of business displacement around transit and to make such programs more effective. 
Perception of Waiting Time at Transit Stops and Stations
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2016-02) Fan, Yingling; Guthrie, Andrew; Levinson, David
Waiting 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.
Real Estate Development in Anticipation of the Green Line Light Rail Transit in St. Paul
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2015-11) Cao, Jason; Porter, Dean
Although previous studies have extensively explored the impacts of rail transit on economic development after its opening, few have examined its impact on real estate development before its opening. Using building permit data from the city of St. Paul, this study investigates the effects of key announcements of the Green Line light rail transit (LRT) by employing location quotient analysis and difference-in-difference models to compare building activity in the LRT corridor and control corridors. We found that the announcement of preliminary engineering had no impacts on the count and value of building permits, whereas the announcement of Full Funding Grant Agreement tended to increase the number of building permits by about 30% and the value by 80%. We concluded that in addition to LRT investment, proactive land use planning policies, public subsidies, and public funded projects are important contributors to building activity.
Transfer Behavior and Off-Peak Commutes
(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2024-10) Baek, Kwangho; Khani, Alireza
To improve transit service for off-peak travelers, an essential yet often underrepresented group, and promote social equity, this study examines off-peak transit commutes and transfers, with a focus on the transitway system in the Twin Cities. The research contrasts off-peak and peak travel behaviors using an onboard survey (OBS) from 2016 and automatic fare collection (AFC) data from 2018 to 2023. The initial analysis involved clustering trips from OBS into 16 regional zones and creating origin-destination matrices to explore spatial travel patterns. Key findings include longer peak-time trips (8.51 miles) compared to off-peak trips (5.74 miles) and a higher concentration of non-work trips during off-peak times. The study also reveals that off-peak trips are more dispersed geographically. In the second phase, path choice sets were generated for each respondent from OBS, and logistic regression models were used to analyze preferences for transitway versus bus-only routes. The results indicated a strong preference for transitways, with 60% of passengers opting for them over buses when travel times were equal. Finally, AFC data was integrated with OBS using machine learning techniques to examine long-term trends, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-pandemic data show an increase in off-peak commutes and transit trips with transfers despite an overall decline in transfers. This study provides insights into evolving transit usage behaviors and highlights the importance of the transitway system in facilitating efficient travel.
Underground Station Design Issues for Light Rail Transit in the Twin Cities Geology
(1992-01) Carmody, John; Sterling, Raymond L.
This study is intended to identify and analyze selected design issues for underground transit stations in the Twin Cities geology. The first part of the study consists of six chapters in which key underground station design issues are discussed. The second part includes the development and analysis of conceptual designs for three potential underground station sites: downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, and the airport. These designs reveal a number of issues related to specific sites and are intended to establish a range of options to be further evaluated by system planners. The report does not attempt to reproduce all station design provisions in the various applicable codes of practice, but does present many design suggestions culled from the authors' experience with underground building design and from the literature on transit station design and safety. A brief summary of highlights and conclusions, where applicable, follows for each chapter.

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