Integrating Urban Service Delivery Research for Distributional Analyses and Transport Equity

In metropolitan regions, public services such as public transit, parks, libraries, health services, public safety, etc. are not provided in such a way that all segments of the population have equal access to these services. The most frequently discussed impacts of unfair distribution of public services is the physical and social segregation of those receiving a greater share of benefits from those receiving a lesser share of benefits. Research has shown that biased service delivery occurs in relation to income class, race, ethnicity, typically in relation to urban location. Because transportation service benefits and costs are distributed geographically and influence the location patterns of both social and economic classes, the examination of spatial patterns of transportation service benefits has inherent equity implications. Cases where citizens feel that there is unequal treatment by transportation services have been tested in court, especially where blatant cases of racial discrimination have been presented. Although current laws prohibit discrimination in the provision of public services, institutional factors at the local and regional levels have neglected the issue of equitable service provision planning. This paper reviews approaches on undertaking analyses of distributional impacts or effects of transportation investments. We also propose a framework by which planning agencies, such as Metropolitan Planning Organizations, can conduct equity analyses based on concepts of distributional equity. There are strong linkages between distributional analysis and concerns expressed by advocates for EJ and transport equity.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Sanchez, Thomas W
  • Upton, Alexandra
  • Jones, Peter
  • Lucas, Karen
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 20p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Discrimination; Environmental justice; Equity (Justice); Health care services; Libraries; Metropolitan planning organizations; Parks; Public service; Public transit; Safety; Transit operating agencies; Urban areas; Urban development; Urban transportation
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01044250
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-2990
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 8 2007 7:42PM