Analyzing accessibility to fire stations: A floating catchment area model for stochastic transportation networks with travel time correlation

Abstract

Improving the spatial accessibility of fire stations is a key factor in minimizing property loss and reducing injuries and deaths. Most existing studies neglect the effect of travel time correlation and uncertainty on the level of accessibility in non-normally distributed networks. In this article, a twostep floating catchment area (2SFCA) model is introduced to measure accessibility in correlated non-normal uncertain transportation networks. The model extends the conventional 2SFCA measures by considering the catchment area of supply and demand locations in stochastic contexts. The proposed measure is applied to a study area to investigate the impacts of travel time correlation, travel time uncertainty, and non-normal distributions on the accessibility value. It is further used to analyze access inequality between different areas of the case study and to identify segregated places in terms of accessibility to the fire stations. In addition, the conventional 2SFCA measure is executed to provide an evaluation of the outputs of the proposed model. Results highlight significant difference between the introduced model and the other existing measure. They also show inequality of accessibility in the study area and the way that the model parameters affect the accessibility level. Furthermore, results offer several methodological implications for accessibility analysis in time-dependent networks.

The accessibility analysis of multiple public facilities in the central urban areas based on multi‐transportation modes: A study in Chengdu

“…It is believed that within the threshold, the services provided by public facilities are equal regardless of the distance to the demand point. To solve this problem, the enhanced two‐step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) (Luo & Qi, 2009) and improved 2SFCA model have been proposed (Brizan‐St Martin & Paul, 2022; Sahebgharani & Haghshennas, 2021). The purpose is to add impedance to the model.…”

An Examination of the Stochastic Distribution of Spatial Accessibility to Intensive Care Unit Beds during the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the Greater Houston Area of Texas

“…While conventional accessibility approaches (i.e., without the incorporation of uncertainty or temporal dynamics) have a tendency to exaggerate the degree of access (Kang et al 2020 ), the examination of uncertainty could provide better insights using a stochastic distribution. As discussed in several studies, mobility uncertainty could change the size and shape of the service area that a facility provides (Ertugay and Duzgun 2011 ; Chen et al 2020 ; Sahebgharani and Haghshenas 2021 ). Besides the notable mobility influence, uncertainties of supply and demand would affect the degree of local competition (i.e., supply‐to‐demand ratio within a certain area).…”