High-resolution spatio-temporal modeling of public transit accessibility

This paper details the creation of a model to measure the accessibility, in the form of travel time, from origins to destinations by way of public transit. The model is a high-resolution spatio-temporal, GIS-based public transit network model. It includes the travel modes of walking and bus and their associated travel times. The total travel time is based on walking times to reach bus stops, typical waiting times at bus stops, travel times on the bus network and transfer times between routes, if necessary. As an example of the model's applicability, it is used to analyze the effects on accessibility of the addition of rapid bus routes in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This multimodal, network-based model has other applications as well, such as assessing sustainable transportation performance measures, estimating transit demand based on varying value of time, or comparing the relative accessibility of new route alignments.

► A detailed network was developed to analyze the impacts of new bus routes on waiting times. ► Walking times to reach stops, waiting times, travel times and transfer times were included. ► Time savings resulting were determined for every individual housing unit. ► Areas with the largest time savings showed the lowest need for public transportation.