Light rail routing: do goals matter?

Abstract

Light rail, Rational decision making,

Light Rail and Land Use Change: Rail Transit’s Role in Reshaping and Revitalizing Cities

“…It is believed that the accessibility benefit obtained by providing rail transit service to a congested corridor will result in increased transit ridership and a cost-effective transit line, as well as result in a reduction in congestion, travel times, and harmful emissions (Cohen-Blankshtain and Feitelson 2011). However, previous research has been critical of the ridership and cost projections used to rationalize investments in rapid transit in a number of cities, finding them subject to systematic cost overruns and ridership shortfalls (Flyvbjerg et al 2005;Mackett and Edwards 1998;Pickrell 1992;Siemiatycki 2009;Wachs 1987).…”

“…Constructing light rail in corridors where these factors are present is crucial to attracting high levels of initial transit ridership and realizing the congestion and emissions benefits associated with it. The second rationale for an investment in light rail transit is to induce land use change in areas with unrealized developmental potential attributed to a lack of accessibility (Cohen-Blankshtain and Feitelson 2011). It is argued that once a light rail line is constructed, the accessibility benefits of the new transit facility will affect land use by increasing land rents and promoting higher density development, which, in turn, can alter travel patterns and mode choices over time within the urban system.…”

“…But to begin, it is useful to theorize the two broad tangible rationales that inform an investment in rail transit. As Cohen-Blankshtain and Feitelson (2011) explain, the first is to achieve high levels of ridership by responding to existing travel demand, while the second is to create demand by affecting land use settlement patterns and travel behavior.…”

The effect of light rail transit on land-use development in a city without zoning

“…This "NIMBYism" is particularly prevalent for neighborhoods farther from CBDs with a large proportion of single-family housing (Porter, 1998;Shen, 2013). Another policy-related obstacle is that LRT station planning and routing is more frequently driven by cost considerations than growth potential (Cohen-Blankshtain & Feitelson, 2011). For instance, rail lines are often situated along industrial corridors or less dense areas so as to take advantage of cheaper rights-of-way.…”

Analysis of Feeder Bus Network Design and Scheduling Problems

“…Transit agency policies for specifying stated factors are based on the importance of these factors. Cohen-Blankshtain and Feitelson [ 20 ] in a survey research showed that these criteria can be a number of land use policies and several transport measures. Therefore, it has been tried to discuss the objectives and list of decision variables in FNDSP in this section.…”