Interactive mapping for public transit planning: Comparing accessibility and travel-time framings

As transport planners increasingly frame project impacts in accessibility terms, it is worth considering how this foundational land-use transport interaction concept can shape stakeholder attitudes. In this paper, the authors test whether framing the benefits of public transit projects in terms of increased accessibility better fosters enthusiasm among advocates, as compared to framing benefits in terms of travel-time savings. They test two versions of an interactive mapping tool in small workshops examining upgraded bus services. One version shows isochrones and accessibility indicators, and the other shows paths and travel time indicators. Results from pre- and post-surveys suggest that framing impacts in accessibility terms may encourage broader thinking and stronger dialog than framing impacts in time-savings terms. In particular, the accessibility version seems to mitigate skepticism and car users’ predispositions against upgrading bus service. An unexpected result is that many workshop participants report decreased overall enthusiasm for the bus upgrades after using either version of the tool. This disappointment may stem from an unrealistic baseline, which assumes perfect schedule adherence not aligned with lived experiences. Future research should consider tools that help stakeholders understand and deliberate about actual service and network-level reliability, and testing such tools with wider audiences.

• Record URL:
  • http://dx.doi.org/10.5198/jtlu.2022.1760
• Record URL:
  • https://jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/1760
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/19387849
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Copyright 2022 Anson F. Stewart & P. Christopher Zegras.
• Authors:
  • Stewart, Anson F
  • Zegras, P Christopher
• Publication Date: 2022

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 635-650
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transport and Land Use
  • Volume: 15
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
  • ISSN: 1938-7849
  • Serial URL: https://www.jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Land use planning; Public transit; Transportation planning; Travel time
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01906519
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 2024 9:12AM