Addressing Accessibility and Equity Along Transitways: Toward a Mixed Methods Toolkit—Part 1

Abstract

This report presents the results of a transit accessibility analysis for the B, D, E, Gold, and Rush Line transitways in the Twin Cities. Census block level access to grocery stores, healthcare facilities, and high schools is evaluated in two stages. Stage one evaluates the B, D, and E Lines, while stage two builds on stage one by adding the Gold and Rush Lines to the transit network. Accessibility results are disaggregated by five worker demographic categories including age, educational attainment, monthly earnings, race, and sex. The results highlight access to two destinations, which capture some of the choice set available to workers. The D Line consistently improves travel times to grocery, healthcare, and high school destinations. Between 30% and 50% of the workers living within a half-mile of a D Line transit stop experience a 1-to-5-minute travel time savings. The B and E Lines also bring travel time savings to the workers living near these transit routes but to a lesser extent than the D Line. Blocks within the Gold Line corridor experience the greatest travel time reduction to high schools, while the Rush Line area experiences significant travel time reductions to grocery destinations.