LAND USE IMPACTS OF THE HOUSTON TRANSITWAY SYSTEM

This research effort was directed toward assisting the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation in the planning and impact evaluation of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes or transitways. The primary objective of this research effort was to measure, analyze, and evaluate the land use impacts of the construction of permanent transitways and park-and-ride facilities on freeway corridors in Houston, Texas. Given the relative newness of transitways in the nation, very little data have been collected or experience gained with the land use impacts of this type of transportation improvement. A review of the literature failed to identify any direct literature on this subject. A survey of operational transitways identified some locations where transitway facility land use impacts possibly had occurred. The prevailing opinion among transitway operators is, and evidence suggests, that land use impacts of transitways are likely to be highly localized and that transitways may induce some shifts in development and settlement patterns rather than generate entirely new development. This paper presents the results of before-after analyses of land use changes in the vicinity of a typical park-and-ride lot in Houston's North Freeway (I-45N) corridor. The results indicate that the land use impacts of the HOV treatments have been relatively insignificant. The study site showed only three possible instances of land use impacts. However, study areas in the corridors surveyed have substantial amounts of undeveloped land, and it may prove necessary to wait until the transitways and associated support facilities become fully operational before a more definitive assessment of land use impacts is possible.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1989/1237/1237-004.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=LAND+USE+IMPACTS+OF+THE+HOUSTON+TRANSITWAY+SYSTEM&author=J.+Mullins+III&author=E.+Washington&author=R.+Stokes&publication_year=1989
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309050014
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1237, Congestion, Land Use, Growth Management, and Transportation Planning.
• Authors:
  • Mullins III, James A
  • Washington, Earl J
  • Stokes, Robert W
• Publication Date: 1989

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 29-38
• Monograph Title: Congestion, land use, growth management, and transportation planning
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1237
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Guideways; High occupancy vehicle lanes; High occupancy vehicles; Impact studies; Land use; Park and ride; Traffic lanes; Transportation corridors; Urban growth
• Geographic Terms: Houston (Texas)
• Old TRIS Terms: Land use effects; Reserved lanes; Urban corridors
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00495021
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309050014
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 30 1990 12:00AM