BTS Skytrain, Bangkok

Photo: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, 2001. Many developing economies experienced fast-paced urbanization but were not serviced by a subway system. By the 1980s, the need to develop a rail transit system in Bangkok became urgent as the city’s roadway system became increasingly congested. The Bangkok Mass Transit System, which is an elevated

Accessibility along a Transit Line

Assuming a willingness to commute for 30 minutes, a gradual decline in accessibility along a transit line can be observed. If a travel distance of 5 minutes is assumed between each transit stop, then the accessibility radius around the first stop (Ra) will include a 25-minute access time by any

Transit and Urban Land Use Impacts

Three land use dimensions are impacted by public transit, namely transit access points. These are influenced by the level of transit use: Accessibility. The sole purpose of a transit stop is to provide accessibility to the transit system, such as stops along a bus route or subway station. Land use

Transit and Urban Form

Source: Adapted from R. Cervero (1998) The Transit Metropolis, Washington, D.C.: Island Press. Urban transit systems played an important role in shaping urban form in the late 19th up to the mid-20th century. Then, the massive diffusion of the automobile and highway systems broke this relationship, which resulted in a

Light Rail Transit, Lyon, France

Photo: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, 2011. Light rail transit systems emerged in the 1970s as a replacement and overhaul of streetcar systems that were becoming obsolete. While servicing similar high-density urban areas than their streetcar predecessors, they have the advantage of being longer, faster, and able to carry more passengers, with

Components of an Urban Transit System

The above figure represents a hypothetical urban transit system where each component is designed to provide a specific array of services conferring mobility. Among the defining factors of urban transit services are capacity, frequency, flexibility, costs, and distance between stops: Metro (subway) system. A heavy rail system, often underground in

World’s Main Subway Systems, c2020

Source: adapted from Metrobits.org, World Metro Database. Approximately 194 subway (metro) systems are in operation worldwide, with several carrying more than 1 billion passengers per year. The construction and setting of subway systems have accelerated in recent years, particularly in cities in developing economies where mass transit has become a

Mobility Gaps in Urban Areas

Many cities have two mobility spaces, one which is transit-oriented and usually in central areas with extensions along transit corridors, and the other which is car-oriented and peripheral areas. This duality in mobility can be seen as a mobility gap and can have important impacts on employment opportunities. A mobility-constrained

Daily Person Miles of Travel per Person by Age and Gender, 2017

Source: US DOT, FHWA (2017) National Household Travel Survey. There are mobility gaps according to age and gender. The peak mobility age is around 40 years when individuals tend to be in their most productive years and fully employed. Males tend to travel further than females, a gap that can

Work-Related Mobility in a Motorized City

Source: adapted from S. Hanson (1995), The Geography of Urban Transportation. In motorized urban areas, mobility can be divided into five major spatial categories: The above figure is illustrative of the United States, and the proportions are generic and will vary by metropolitan area.