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• 1. [Article] Green Mind Gray Yard: Micro Scale Assessment of Ecosystem Services

  There is a spatial mismatch between the size of the area where people are living and the extent of land needed to ecologically support developed areas. More people are living in urban areas than any time ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Green Mind Gray Yard: Micro Scale Assessment of Ecosystem Services Author: Kirkpatrick, Erin Jolene Year: 2013 There is a spatial mismatch between the size of the area where people are living and the extent of land needed to ecologically support developed areas. More people are living in urban areas than any time in history, and the resources need to support cities have had to expand to try and meet the demands of increasing urban populations. However, areas of opportunity exist for urban areas to begin to positively contribute towards the available resources in a region. Because a large portion of urban areas is within private control, gaining a baseline understanding of how residents interact with ecosystem services served as basis of this study. Using a survey of residents in the Portland, OR area, correlations between demographic groups and questions regarding their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors as they relate to vegetation proved that the knowledge of environmental relationships is an important first step in creating pro-environmental behavior. Those reporting a high level of knowledge for ecological system and processes were more likely to value the benefits of vegetation for other associated reasons, such as for recreational activities, aesthetic purposes, and air or water quality. Additionally, survey responses were mapped to spatial data to gain an understanding of the spatial characteristics of neighborhoods in the survey area and how they have changed over time. Overall, the results in the study display trends that can help outreach organizations and municipalities to determine plans to strategically engage the public in a way that could create a net gain in urban ecosystem services. Title: Green Mind Gray Yard: Micro Scale Assessment of Ecosystem Services Author: Kirkpatrick, Erin Jolene Year: 2013 There is a spatial mismatch between the size of the area where people are living and the extent of land needed to ecologically support developed areas. More people are living in urban areas than any time in history, and the resources need to support cities have had to expand to try and meet the demands of increasing urban populations. However, areas of opportunity exist for urban areas to begin to positively contribute towards the available resources in a region. Because a large portion of urban areas is within private control, gaining a baseline understanding of how residents interact with ecosystem services served as basis of this study. Using a survey of residents in the Portland, OR area, correlations between demographic groups and questions regarding their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors as they relate to vegetation proved that the knowledge of environmental relationships is an important first step in creating pro-environmental behavior. Those reporting a high level of knowledge for ecological system and processes were more likely to value the benefits of vegetation for other associated reasons, such as for recreational activities, aesthetic purposes, and air or water quality. Additionally, survey responses were mapped to spatial data to gain an understanding of the spatial characteristics of neighborhoods in the survey area and how they have changed over time. Overall, the results in the study display trends that can help outreach organizations and municipalities to determine plans to strategically engage the public in a way that could create a net gain in urban ecosystem services. Close

• 2. [Article] Urban Service Delivery System and Federal Government Bureaucracy: A Structural Analysis of Spatial Distribution of Water Supply in a Suburban Community of Metropolitan Lagos

  This study identifies the prevailing scarcity of urban public services and the conceptual relations among service delivery, patronage, bureaucratic activities and structural factors in the Lagos Metropolitan ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Urban Service Delivery System and Federal Government Bureaucracy: A Structural Analysis of Spatial Distribution of Water Supply in a Suburban Community of Metropolitan Lagos Author: Mbanaso, Michael Udochukwu Year: 1989 This study identifies the prevailing scarcity of urban public services and the conceptual relations among service delivery, patronage, bureaucratic activities and structural factors in the Lagos Metropolitan region. It examines the extent to which clientelism, bureaucratic decision rules and structural theoretical models explain water service delivery patterns in Festival Town (Festac), a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria. The unprecedented pace of growth of the Lagos Metropolis since the mid-twentieth century gave rise to the spectacular spatial expansion of the continuous built up region. Urban industrial and governmental institutions have not kept pace with the population growth rate of Lagos. This demographic trend also continues to tax the urban service delivery system. The federal government policy proscription entailed the planning and creation of a new town, Festival Town (Festac), as a response to addressing the urban public service problem in the Greater Lagos. Festac is well serviced with modern urban infrastructural facilities for the delivery of water supply and water related services. In recent years, however, the local residents of Festac have been faced with a similar problem in water supply which is not different from that experienced by urban residents in other parts of Lagos. The painstaking efforts that detailed a pre-planned, designed and carefully considered development of a new urban community have not succeeded in creating a regularly functioning delivery of water supply and water related services. Various analytical tools were utilyzed in conducting the study. The study concludes that the central factors in the prevailing scarcity of water supply in Festac are technology and infrastructural dependence and dwindling federal state revenues, all of which exacerbate the internal production of essential urban public services and thereby making delivery problematic. The findings presented in this study demonstrate the significance of the specific articulation expressed in the link between the Nigerian export sector, the fiscal capacity of the federal state and public service financing. This study recommends that if the Nigerian public service delivery system is to overcome its contemporary problems, policies should be adopted which largely depend on existing internal resources. Title: Urban Service Delivery System and Federal Government Bureaucracy: A Structural Analysis of Spatial Distribution of Water Supply in a Suburban Community of Metropolitan Lagos Author: Mbanaso, Michael Udochukwu Year: 1989 This study identifies the prevailing scarcity of urban public services and the conceptual relations among service delivery, patronage, bureaucratic activities and structural factors in the Lagos Metropolitan region. It examines the extent to which clientelism, bureaucratic decision rules and structural theoretical models explain water service delivery patterns in Festival Town (Festac), a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria. The unprecedented pace of growth of the Lagos Metropolis since the mid-twentieth century gave rise to the spectacular spatial expansion of the continuous built up region. Urban industrial and governmental institutions have not kept pace with the population growth rate of Lagos. This demographic trend also continues to tax the urban service delivery system. The federal government policy proscription entailed the planning and creation of a new town, Festival Town (Festac), as a response to addressing the urban public service problem in the Greater Lagos. Festac is well serviced with modern urban infrastructural facilities for the delivery of water supply and water related services. In recent years, however, the local residents of Festac have been faced with a similar problem in water supply which is not different from that experienced by urban residents in other parts of Lagos. The painstaking efforts that detailed a pre-planned, designed and carefully considered development of a new urban community have not succeeded in creating a regularly functioning delivery of water supply and water related services. Various analytical tools were utilyzed in conducting the study. The study concludes that the central factors in the prevailing scarcity of water supply in Festac are technology and infrastructural dependence and dwindling federal state revenues, all of which exacerbate the internal production of essential urban public services and thereby making delivery problematic. The findings presented in this study demonstrate the significance of the specific articulation expressed in the link between the Nigerian export sector, the fiscal capacity of the federal state and public service financing. This study recommends that if the Nigerian public service delivery system is to overcome its contemporary problems, policies should be adopted which largely depend on existing internal resources. Close

• 3. [Article] Travel to Food: Transportation Barriers for the Food Insecure in Tampa Bay

  In partnership with the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF), the Transportation Innovation Group informed practical transportation solutions aimed at ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Travel to Food: Transportation Barriers for the Food Insecure in Tampa Bay Author: Salzer, Kevin, Joslin, Ann Year: 2017 In partnership with the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF), the Transportation Innovation Group informed practical transportation solutions aimed at improved food access in Tampa Bay (Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties). The food pantry/bank sites that are part of Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNTEH) helped to gather data through a survey and interviews of food-related organizational leadership, staff and volunteers from each site to gain insight into how clients currently access emergency food sites (qualitative). This information was supplemented with a GIS analysis of transit accessibility for the food insecure in Tampa Bay (quantitative). Funding for this project was provided, in part, by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) at Portland State University. This project entitled “Travel to Food: Transportation Barriers for the Food Insecure in Tampa Bay” fits with the NITC’s theme of safe, healthy and sustainable transportation choices to foster livable communities in the following ways: Identify gaps in the transportation system for vulnerable communities; Lead to focused solutions to improve access to healthy food; Lead to added sustainable transportation options; and Access to food is an essential precursor to livability. Background: The dominance of the automobile in the southeast has impacted the urban and suburban built environment, resulting in barriers to transportation access. The vulnerability of the food insecure makes them an indicator population of the larger transportation system; mobility and housing location options are limited for this population. The grocery industry’s trend toward larger stores and higher-value inventory to maximize shelf space value has left lower-income neighborhoods with fewer food retail options. The lack of food access is experienced more acutely in lower-income neighborhoods where auto ownership is lower and dependence on alternative modes of transportation (e.g., transit, bike and walking) is higher. Title: Travel to Food: Transportation Barriers for the Food Insecure in Tampa Bay Author: Salzer, Kevin, Joslin, Ann Year: 2017 In partnership with the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF), the Transportation Innovation Group informed practical transportation solutions aimed at improved food access in Tampa Bay (Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties). The food pantry/bank sites that are part of Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNTEH) helped to gather data through a survey and interviews of food-related organizational leadership, staff and volunteers from each site to gain insight into how clients currently access emergency food sites (qualitative). This information was supplemented with a GIS analysis of transit accessibility for the food insecure in Tampa Bay (quantitative). Funding for this project was provided, in part, by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) at Portland State University. This project entitled “Travel to Food: Transportation Barriers for the Food Insecure in Tampa Bay” fits with the NITC’s theme of safe, healthy and sustainable transportation choices to foster livable communities in the following ways: Identify gaps in the transportation system for vulnerable communities; Lead to focused solutions to improve access to healthy food; Lead to added sustainable transportation options; and Access to food is an essential precursor to livability. Background: The dominance of the automobile in the southeast has impacted the urban and suburban built environment, resulting in barriers to transportation access. The vulnerability of the food insecure makes them an indicator population of the larger transportation system; mobility and housing location options are limited for this population. The grocery industry’s trend toward larger stores and higher-value inventory to maximize shelf space value has left lower-income neighborhoods with fewer food retail options. The lack of food access is experienced more acutely in lower-income neighborhoods where auto ownership is lower and dependence on alternative modes of transportation (e.g., transit, bike and walking) is higher. Close

• 4. [Article] Cultivating the Technology Ecosystem: An Interview with Skip Newbury

  An interview with Skip Newbury, President and CEO of the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO). He is a frequent speaker on technology trends and topics, economic development, public-private partnerships ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Cultivating the Technology Ecosystem: An Interview with Skip Newbury Author: Martin, Sheila Year: 2017 An interview with Skip Newbury, President and CEO of the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO). He is a frequent speaker on technology trends and topics, economic development, public-private partnerships and civic innovation. Before joining the TAO, Skip served as an economic development policy advisor to Portland Mayor Sam Adams, where he helped create Portland’s first comprehensive economic development strategy in 16 years, recognizing software as a key industry cluster. Title: Cultivating the Technology Ecosystem: An Interview with Skip Newbury Author: Martin, Sheila Year: 2017 An interview with Skip Newbury, President and CEO of the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO). He is a frequent speaker on technology trends and topics, economic development, public-private partnerships and civic innovation. Before joining the TAO, Skip served as an economic development policy advisor to Portland Mayor Sam Adams, where he helped create Portland’s first comprehensive economic development strategy in 16 years, recognizing software as a key industry cluster. Close

• 5. [Article] Barriers to Transitional Housing Access among Homeless Male Adults in the City of Portland

  From 2011 to 2014, there were 191 confirmed deaths among homeless persons living in Multnomah County, approximately 88% of which were among adult men (over the age of 18). This alarming statistic in no ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Barriers to Transitional Housing Access among Homeless Male Adults in the City of Portland Author: Raines, Alexander T Year: 2016 From 2011 to 2014, there were 191 confirmed deaths among homeless persons living in Multnomah County, approximately 88% of which were among adult men (over the age of 18). This alarming statistic in no way-shape-or-form represents the demographic makeup of Multnomah County’s homeless population, with a 2015 point-in-time count finding males over the age of 24 comprising just 52% of Multnomah’s homeless. Among these individuals the average age of death was just 43.3 years old; for comparison, the standard life expectancy for a man born in Multnomah County is 76.6 years old. This pattern of vulnerability among homeless men may in fact be part of a larger trend, if so, it is one largely unrecognized by standard scales of vulnerability. The lack of common cause among threats to homeless male adults stresses a need for safe, managed environments where conditions related to physical health, mental health, and chronic homelessness can be addressed. Fortunately, such places exist. Transitional housing, part of the “housing first” model, originated with a series of landmark studies in the 1990s by Randall Kuhn and Dennis P. Culhane. Since then over 300 American cities, including the city of Portland, have adopted housing first plans to end transitional and chronic homelessness. It would seem the successes of transitional housing organizations within Portland would preclude the fatality numbers referenced above. The question therefore is raised: What barriers exist that are preventing homeless male adults in Portland from accessing transitional housing programs and how can these issues be addressed? Title: Barriers to Transitional Housing Access among Homeless Male Adults in the City of Portland Author: Raines, Alexander T Year: 2016 From 2011 to 2014, there were 191 confirmed deaths among homeless persons living in Multnomah County, approximately 88% of which were among adult men (over the age of 18). This alarming statistic in no way-shape-or-form represents the demographic makeup of Multnomah County’s homeless population, with a 2015 point-in-time count finding males over the age of 24 comprising just 52% of Multnomah’s homeless. Among these individuals the average age of death was just 43.3 years old; for comparison, the standard life expectancy for a man born in Multnomah County is 76.6 years old. This pattern of vulnerability among homeless men may in fact be part of a larger trend, if so, it is one largely unrecognized by standard scales of vulnerability. The lack of common cause among threats to homeless male adults stresses a need for safe, managed environments where conditions related to physical health, mental health, and chronic homelessness can be addressed. Fortunately, such places exist. Transitional housing, part of the “housing first” model, originated with a series of landmark studies in the 1990s by Randall Kuhn and Dennis P. Culhane. Since then over 300 American cities, including the city of Portland, have adopted housing first plans to end transitional and chronic homelessness. It would seem the successes of transitional housing organizations within Portland would preclude the fatality numbers referenced above. The question therefore is raised: What barriers exist that are preventing homeless male adults in Portland from accessing transitional housing programs and how can these issues be addressed? Close

• 6. [Article] Regional Travel Options 2007-08 Program Evaluation

  To help implement the Growth Concept, Metro’s Regional Travel Options (RTO) Program works to increase awareness of non-SOV alternatives and increase the provision of those alternatives. The program complements ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regional Travel Options 2007-08 Program Evaluation Author: Dill, Jennifer, Brown, Stephan Year: 2010 To help implement the Growth Concept, Metro’s Regional Travel Options (RTO) Program works to increase awareness of non-SOV alternatives and increase the provision of those alternatives. The program complements other strategies, including land use policies and infrastructure investment. The most comprehensive data available for this evaluation come from commute surveys of employees at work sites that participate in outreach programs offered by TriMet. All of the RTO evaluations have used these data as a benchmark for overall progress, though the data only captures commute travel. The 2008 data reflect the commute patterns of about 120,000 employees commuting to 549 worksites. The long-term trend is positive, with the share of work trips made by modes other than single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) generally increasing since 1996 Figure 3. However, the data for 2007 and 2008 show a decline since 2006 in the share of work trips made on transit. Increases in bicycling and walking, compressed work weeks, and telecommuting helped offset that decline. The share of trips made in carpools and vanpools has remained about the same for the past four years, and is still lower than 1996. Title: Regional Travel Options 2007-08 Program Evaluation Author: Dill, Jennifer, Brown, Stephan Year: 2010 To help implement the Growth Concept, Metro’s Regional Travel Options (RTO) Program works to increase awareness of non-SOV alternatives and increase the provision of those alternatives. The program complements other strategies, including land use policies and infrastructure investment. The most comprehensive data available for this evaluation come from commute surveys of employees at work sites that participate in outreach programs offered by TriMet. All of the RTO evaluations have used these data as a benchmark for overall progress, though the data only captures commute travel. The 2008 data reflect the commute patterns of about 120,000 employees commuting to 549 worksites. The long-term trend is positive, with the share of work trips made by modes other than single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) generally increasing since 1996 Figure 3. However, the data for 2007 and 2008 show a decline since 2006 in the share of work trips made on transit. Increases in bicycling and walking, compressed work weeks, and telecommuting helped offset that decline. The share of trips made in carpools and vanpools has remained about the same for the past four years, and is still lower than 1996. Close

• 7. [Article] Residential Mobility and Revitalization in Portland Between 1970 and 1980: A Study of the Urban Structural Impacts on Neighborhood Revitalization

  Evidence of physical decline due in part to the rapid encroachment of commercial and industrial activity into some of Portland's residential areas in the mid-1960s and efforts to combat the forces of time ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Residential Mobility and Revitalization in Portland Between 1970 and 1980: A Study of the Urban Structural Impacts on Neighborhood Revitalization Author: Kamara, Sheka Gassimou Year: 1992 Evidence of physical decline due in part to the rapid encroachment of commercial and industrial activity into some of Portland's residential areas in the mid-1960s and efforts to combat the forces of time and change through neighborhood revitalization provide the basis for this study. Additionally, some of the characteristics often employed in explaining the phenomenon in cities are manifested in the city of Portland. For example, Portland is endowed with a distinctive and well established downtown area that provides opportunities for the establishment of businesses as well as white-collar job opportunities. By the standards of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Portland has a relatively large population and several older neighborhoods. The city provides its residents the feel for inner-city living, such as its beautiful waterfront scenery, its high-rise and park block apartments, its cultural facilities and unique transit mall. These criteria underscore the selection of Portland as the geographical area of this research. The purpose of this research itself is to assess the urban structural changes that occurred in Portland between 1970 and 1980. The research used a sample of inner-city neighborhoods from the city to explain these structural changes over time. Additionally, two samples of neighborhoods (Northeast and Southeast) within the city were selected as the basis for comparing the structural changes. The data developed from the 1970 and 1980 census of population and housing characteristics comprised the change in the median household income ratio, the change in the home value ratio, and the change in the median rent ratio designated as dependent variables. Nine independent variables representing the pre-existing conditions in the city at the start of the decade were selected from locational, demographic, and housing factors. The research hypotheses were tested by regresslng the three dependent variables against the nine independent variables resulting in three regression models for each sample. The a priori expectations as reflected by the signs of the coefficients show mixed support for the hypotheses in each sample in predicted direction, and in level of significance. In the city sample the neighborhood housing quality factor was observed to have a strong positive causal relationship with neighborhood revitalization. The outcome confirmed the contention that a significant and systematic reverse revival trend occurred in Portland at the start of the 1970 decade. This finding contradicts the conventional invasion-succession theory associated with Burgess (1925). Similar reverse revival trends were observed in the Northeast and Southeast samples. But unlike the city sample the race factor had a strong positive causal relationship with revitalization. The outcome may be a reflection of the rental squeeze in terms of housing affordability faced by black renters in both subareas because their incomes could not keep pace with housing costs. Consequently their demand for rental housing may have grown faster than the supply of the rental housing stock in a segregated rental market. The chow tests show significant structural differences between the two submodels, but the impact of the race factor as reflected by the measures of relative variability was greater in Northeast Portland than in Southeast Portland. In light of the research findings, this study concludes that Portland may undoubtedly be the only city in the nation that experienced a significant and systematic revival trend between 1970 and 1980. However, this trend did not extend to the predominantly black areas of the city as reflected by the strong negative outcome of the race factor. In addition, the functional significance of the systematic revival trend in Portland may not be substantial when compared to larger and older cities like St. Louis and New Orleans that received media attention for a similar trend. Title: Residential Mobility and Revitalization in Portland Between 1970 and 1980: A Study of the Urban Structural Impacts on Neighborhood Revitalization Author: Kamara, Sheka Gassimou Year: 1992 Evidence of physical decline due in part to the rapid encroachment of commercial and industrial activity into some of Portland's residential areas in the mid-1960s and efforts to combat the forces of time and change through neighborhood revitalization provide the basis for this study. Additionally, some of the characteristics often employed in explaining the phenomenon in cities are manifested in the city of Portland. For example, Portland is endowed with a distinctive and well established downtown area that provides opportunities for the establishment of businesses as well as white-collar job opportunities. By the standards of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Portland has a relatively large population and several older neighborhoods. The city provides its residents the feel for inner-city living, such as its beautiful waterfront scenery, its high-rise and park block apartments, its cultural facilities and unique transit mall. These criteria underscore the selection of Portland as the geographical area of this research. The purpose of this research itself is to assess the urban structural changes that occurred in Portland between 1970 and 1980. The research used a sample of inner-city neighborhoods from the city to explain these structural changes over time. Additionally, two samples of neighborhoods (Northeast and Southeast) within the city were selected as the basis for comparing the structural changes. The data developed from the 1970 and 1980 census of population and housing characteristics comprised the change in the median household income ratio, the change in the home value ratio, and the change in the median rent ratio designated as dependent variables. Nine independent variables representing the pre-existing conditions in the city at the start of the decade were selected from locational, demographic, and housing factors. The research hypotheses were tested by regresslng the three dependent variables against the nine independent variables resulting in three regression models for each sample. The a priori expectations as reflected by the signs of the coefficients show mixed support for the hypotheses in each sample in predicted direction, and in level of significance. In the city sample the neighborhood housing quality factor was observed to have a strong positive causal relationship with neighborhood revitalization. The outcome confirmed the contention that a significant and systematic reverse revival trend occurred in Portland at the start of the 1970 decade. This finding contradicts the conventional invasion-succession theory associated with Burgess (1925). Similar reverse revival trends were observed in the Northeast and Southeast samples. But unlike the city sample the race factor had a strong positive causal relationship with revitalization. The outcome may be a reflection of the rental squeeze in terms of housing affordability faced by black renters in both subareas because their incomes could not keep pace with housing costs. Consequently their demand for rental housing may have grown faster than the supply of the rental housing stock in a segregated rental market. The chow tests show significant structural differences between the two submodels, but the impact of the race factor as reflected by the measures of relative variability was greater in Northeast Portland than in Southeast Portland. In light of the research findings, this study concludes that Portland may undoubtedly be the only city in the nation that experienced a significant and systematic revival trend between 1970 and 1980. However, this trend did not extend to the predominantly black areas of the city as reflected by the strong negative outcome of the race factor. In addition, the functional significance of the systematic revival trend in Portland may not be substantial when compared to larger and older cities like St. Louis and New Orleans that received media attention for a similar trend. Close

• 8. [Article] Assessing Transit Fare Equity in Utah Using a Geographic Information System

  The goal of this study is to develop and apply a new method for assessing social equity impacts of distance-based public transit fares. Shifting to a distance-based fare structure can disproportionately ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Assessing Transit Fare Equity in Utah Using a Geographic Information System Author: Farber, Steven, Batholomew, Keith, Li, Xiao, Paez, Antonio, Nurul Habib, Khandker M. Year: 2014 The goal of this study is to develop and apply a new method for assessing social equity impacts of distance-based public transit fares. Shifting to a distance-based fare structure can disproportionately favor or penalize different subgroups of a population based on variations in settlement patterns, travel needs, and most importantly, transit use. According to federal law, such disparities must be evaluated by the transit agency, but the area-based techniques identified by the Federal Transit Authority for assessing discrimination fail to account for disparities in distances travelled by transit users. This means that transit agencies currently lack guidelines for assessing the social equity impacts of replacing flat fare with distance-based fare structures. Our solution is to incorporate a joint ordinal-continuous model of trip generation and distance travelled into a GIS Decision Support System. The system enables a transit planner to visualize and compare estimated distances travelled and transit-cost maps for different population profiles and fare structures. We apply the method to a case study in the Wasatch Front, Utah, where the Utah Transit Authority is exploring a switch to a distance-based fare structure. The analysis reveals that overall distance-based fares benefit low-income, elderly, and non-white populations. However, the effect is geographically uneven, and may be negative for members of these groups living on the urban fringe. The research discusses a potential conflict between policies designed to promote equity and those intended to increase discretionary ridership. For example, increasing fares for longdistance discretionary riders travelling from suburban light-rail stations to the central business district may have a negative impact on ridership, despite being economically more efficient through cost-recapturing. At the same time, reducing fares for short-distance trips that are currently too expensive compared to private automobile travel may attract new riders. A full cost-benefit analysis sensitive to heterogeneous price elasticity is recommended for future research. It is also noted that the research findings are dependent on the current spatial distributions of population segments and travel patterns. The equity benefits of distance-based fares are primarily derived from residential clustering of low-income and minority groups in more compact urban areas near the center of the city. Demographic trends, such as inner-city gentrification and suburban aging-in-place, may impose increased travel demands on low income and elderly riders, nullifying future equity gains made by a transition to distance-based fares. Title: Assessing Transit Fare Equity in Utah Using a Geographic Information System Author: Farber, Steven, Batholomew, Keith, Li, Xiao, Paez, Antonio, Nurul Habib, Khandker M. Year: 2014 The goal of this study is to develop and apply a new method for assessing social equity impacts of distance-based public transit fares. Shifting to a distance-based fare structure can disproportionately favor or penalize different subgroups of a population based on variations in settlement patterns, travel needs, and most importantly, transit use. According to federal law, such disparities must be evaluated by the transit agency, but the area-based techniques identified by the Federal Transit Authority for assessing discrimination fail to account for disparities in distances travelled by transit users. This means that transit agencies currently lack guidelines for assessing the social equity impacts of replacing flat fare with distance-based fare structures. Our solution is to incorporate a joint ordinal-continuous model of trip generation and distance travelled into a GIS Decision Support System. The system enables a transit planner to visualize and compare estimated distances travelled and transit-cost maps for different population profiles and fare structures. We apply the method to a case study in the Wasatch Front, Utah, where the Utah Transit Authority is exploring a switch to a distance-based fare structure. The analysis reveals that overall distance-based fares benefit low-income, elderly, and non-white populations. However, the effect is geographically uneven, and may be negative for members of these groups living on the urban fringe. The research discusses a potential conflict between policies designed to promote equity and those intended to increase discretionary ridership. For example, increasing fares for longdistance discretionary riders travelling from suburban light-rail stations to the central business district may have a negative impact on ridership, despite being economically more efficient through cost-recapturing. At the same time, reducing fares for short-distance trips that are currently too expensive compared to private automobile travel may attract new riders. A full cost-benefit analysis sensitive to heterogeneous price elasticity is recommended for future research. It is also noted that the research findings are dependent on the current spatial distributions of population segments and travel patterns. The equity benefits of distance-based fares are primarily derived from residential clustering of low-income and minority groups in more compact urban areas near the center of the city. Demographic trends, such as inner-city gentrification and suburban aging-in-place, may impose increased travel demands on low income and elderly riders, nullifying future equity gains made by a transition to distance-based fares. Close

• 9. [Article] A Study of Headway Maintenance for Bus Routes: Causes and Effects of “Bus Bunching” in Extensive and Congested Service Areas

  A healthy and efficient public transit system is indispensable to reduce congestion, emissions, energy consumption, and car dependency in urban areas. The objective of this research is to 1) develop methods ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Study of Headway Maintenance for Bus Routes: Causes and Effects of “Bus Bunching” in Extensive and Congested Service Areas Author: Figliozzi, Miguel A., Feng, Wu-chi, Lafferriere, Gerardo, Feng, Wei Year: 2012 A healthy and efficient public transit system is indispensable to reduce congestion, emissions, energy consumption, and car dependency in urban areas. The objective of this research is to 1) develop methods to evaluate and visualize bus service reliability for transit agencies in various temporal and spatial aggregation levels; 2) identify the recurrent unreliability trends of bus routes (focusing on high-frequency service periods) and understand their characteristics, causes and effects; and 3) model service times using linear regression models. This research utilized six months of archived automatic vehicle location (AVL) and automatic passenger count (APC) data from a low-performance route (Route 15) of TriMet, the public transit provider in the Portland metropolitan area. Route 15 has experienced difficulties in terms of schedule adherence and headway regularity. This research developed methods to summarize causes of bus bunching. We first determined the frequency of each cause (expressed as percentages) meeting pre-determined thresholds. Next, we performed a sensitivity analysis to demonstrate how cause percentage results change using varying difficulty levels of bus bunching thresholds. Finally, we investigated how cause percentage results vary spatially along different route segments. This research also developed novel ways to summarize and visualize vast amounts of bus route operations data in an insightful and intuitive manner: 1) a route/stop level visualization performance measure framework using color contour diagrams and 2) a dynamic interactive bus monitoring visualization framework based on a Google Maps platform. Visualizations proposed in this study can aid transit agency managers and operators to identify operational problems and better understand how such problems propagate spatially and temporally across routes. Finally, regression models were estimated to understand the key factors impacting dwell and travel times. Title: A Study of Headway Maintenance for Bus Routes: Causes and Effects of “Bus Bunching” in Extensive and Congested Service Areas Author: Figliozzi, Miguel A., Feng, Wu-chi, Lafferriere, Gerardo, Feng, Wei Year: 2012 A healthy and efficient public transit system is indispensable to reduce congestion, emissions, energy consumption, and car dependency in urban areas. The objective of this research is to 1) develop methods to evaluate and visualize bus service reliability for transit agencies in various temporal and spatial aggregation levels; 2) identify the recurrent unreliability trends of bus routes (focusing on high-frequency service periods) and understand their characteristics, causes and effects; and 3) model service times using linear regression models. This research utilized six months of archived automatic vehicle location (AVL) and automatic passenger count (APC) data from a low-performance route (Route 15) of TriMet, the public transit provider in the Portland metropolitan area. Route 15 has experienced difficulties in terms of schedule adherence and headway regularity. This research developed methods to summarize causes of bus bunching. We first determined the frequency of each cause (expressed as percentages) meeting pre-determined thresholds. Next, we performed a sensitivity analysis to demonstrate how cause percentage results change using varying difficulty levels of bus bunching thresholds. Finally, we investigated how cause percentage results vary spatially along different route segments. This research also developed novel ways to summarize and visualize vast amounts of bus route operations data in an insightful and intuitive manner: 1) a route/stop level visualization performance measure framework using color contour diagrams and 2) a dynamic interactive bus monitoring visualization framework based on a Google Maps platform. Visualizations proposed in this study can aid transit agency managers and operators to identify operational problems and better understand how such problems propagate spatially and temporally across routes. Finally, regression models were estimated to understand the key factors impacting dwell and travel times. Close

• 10. [Article] National Study of BRT Development Outcomes

  Bus rapid transit (BRT) is poised to become the “next big thing” in public transit. From virtually no systems a generation ago, there are now 19 lines operating with at least seven under construction and ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: National Study of BRT Development Outcomes Author: Nelson, Arthur C., Ganning, Joanna Year: 2015 Bus rapid transit (BRT) is poised to become the “next big thing” in public transit. From virtually no systems a generation ago, there are now 19 lines operating with at least seven under construction and more than 20 in the planning stages. BRT is gaining popularity because of its combination of low capital cost and potential for high levels of benefits. But are BRT systems effective in attracting development? To answer this and many more trending BRT questions, the Metropolitan Research Center (MRC) reviewed multiple studies using data from the United States Census Bureau, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics, and CoStar data in a quasi-experimental, compare-and-contrast research design to compare jobs, population and households, and housing units before and after BRT station construction relative to control stations and the stations’ metropolitan context. Our units of analysis will be 2010 census blocks and their assemblages as data allow within 0.25 mile buffers. The final products of the MRC’s research include case studies of each BRT and meta-assessments of whether and to what extent BRT systems attract development. Some of the studies answer the following questions: What are the effects of BRT on sectoral employment change in the United States? How does BRT affect housing location affordability? What is the relationship between BRT and its surrounding area’s wagerelated job change? These answers can provide MPOs with information to aid in the decision-making process in terms of economic development and transportation planning options. Title: National Study of BRT Development Outcomes Author: Nelson, Arthur C., Ganning, Joanna Year: 2015 Bus rapid transit (BRT) is poised to become the “next big thing” in public transit. From virtually no systems a generation ago, there are now 19 lines operating with at least seven under construction and more than 20 in the planning stages. BRT is gaining popularity because of its combination of low capital cost and potential for high levels of benefits. But are BRT systems effective in attracting development? To answer this and many more trending BRT questions, the Metropolitan Research Center (MRC) reviewed multiple studies using data from the United States Census Bureau, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics, and CoStar data in a quasi-experimental, compare-and-contrast research design to compare jobs, population and households, and housing units before and after BRT station construction relative to control stations and the stations’ metropolitan context. Our units of analysis will be 2010 census blocks and their assemblages as data allow within 0.25 mile buffers. The final products of the MRC’s research include case studies of each BRT and meta-assessments of whether and to what extent BRT systems attract development. Some of the studies answer the following questions: What are the effects of BRT on sectoral employment change in the United States? How does BRT affect housing location affordability? What is the relationship between BRT and its surrounding area’s wagerelated job change? These answers can provide MPOs with information to aid in the decision-making process in terms of economic development and transportation planning options. Close