To reduce traffic deaths, public transit should be seen as a core part of safety infrastructure, not just an alternative mode of travel. Every day, thousands of car crashes occur in the U.S., resulting in injury or death, yet they receive far less attention than the much rarer crashes involving public transit. For city planners working to reduce roadway fatalities, understanding how these perceptions influence travel choices is critical.
transit access
The best transit plan is a strong land use plan
Increasing the number and variety of destinations around a transit station can encourage more people to use that station, but a new study shows more destinations concentrated around one station can also lift ridership across the entire network.
Reforming fees and fines could help chip away at transportation inequities
A recent report by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) highlights transportation inequities in the greater Chicago area. Big-picture findings support the region’s comprehensive plan, but the near-term recommendations focus on changes in transportation-related fees, fines, and fares—a small but important share of overall transportation costs.
SSTI releases Connecting Sacramento: A trip-making and accessibility study
For several years, SSTI has worked to advance best practices in the use of two emerging technologies: accessibility metrics and trip-making data from mobile devices. Our recently completed study, Connecting Sacramento, was an essential part of that effort. This study brings together these technologies and tests their application in identifying and prioritizing first- and last-mile-connections to transit, among other uses.
Connecting Sacramento
Connecting Sacramento is the first study to incorporate both accessibility analysis and tripmaking data, including data from multiple sources, and assess how they can be used together to guide transportation- and land use-related decisions. This study focused specifically on opportunities to improve first- and last-mile connections to light rail transit in Sacramento, but its findings are widely applicable.
New transit models: Laguna Beach and Uber partner for senior transportation services
Starting in mid-June, Laguna Beach, CA, will partner with Uber in a pilot program to provide transportation options for residents aged 55 and older, a group that makes up about 50 percent of the city’s population. To fill the transportation gap caused by cuts in the frequency and coverage of transit service in the city, the pilot will provide free rides for two months and low-cost rides after the pilot. This program, a first of its kind, will be an interesting test of a new application of ride-hailing services.
How much more is a home worth if it’s near transit?
Is a home near transit really worth more? According to a Redfin study, the answer is, “Yes. And often it’s worth a lot more.” Real estate firm Redfin looked at 14 metro areas and compared homes that were otherwise similar except for their Transit Score. In 13 of the metro areas, the homes with higher Transit Scores were worth more.
How much more is a home worth if it’s near transit?
Is a home near transit really worth more? According to a Redfin study, the answer is, “Yes. And often it’s worth a lot more.” Real estate firm Redfin looked at 14 metro areas and compared homes that were otherwise similar except for their Transit Score. In 13 of the metro areas, the homes with higher Transit Scores were worth more.
Transit agencies and advocates focus attention on last-mile solutions
With transit systems gaining riders, and new systems being launched throughout the U.S., many service providers now face the challenge of ensuring sufficient access to transit stations. In Minneapolis-St. Paul, Metro Transit partnered with a local car-sharing company to provide access to both services using a single card. In Denver, a recent survey suggests the answer may be as simple as investing in sidewalks, signage and lighting near stations—particularly in low-income areas.
Getting on Board for Health (Alameda County Public Health Department, 2013)
This health impact assessment informed the development of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Regional Transportation Plan. It focused specifically on transit-dependent populations and the expected health outcomes that may result from changes to bus access as determined by RTP.