Selection of modal choice nodes in urban intermodal networks

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Urban intermodality is an increasing phenomenon and nowadays modal choice nodes, nodes within urban networks from which it is possible to reach other nodes by using different transportation modalities, play a very important role in the analysis of passenger mobility. Therefore, the need of evaluating the performance of such nodes with the aim of making more convenient multimodal paths is described in this paper. The paper focuses on the problem of determining the attractive capacity of modal choice nodes in urban networks; the goal is to identify those nodes that could be attractive poles for modal exchanges and become location of new services, such as parking places, bus stops and informative panels. Starting from relevant Origin – Destination (O-D) paths that are derived from the demand of mobility, the paper analyzes the possible intermodal nodes by evaluating the role that such nodes play within urban networks on the basis of some structural attributes of the network itself. Inspired by the gravitational models, that are more generally used in the competitive location problems, we determine the attractive capacity of the well performing previously selected intermodal nodes; the aim is to verify whether the good behavior of the modal choice nodes inside the transportation network is also perceived by users. We report on some data related to the city of Genoa that for its topological and geographical structure and the wide offer of the public transportation system is well suited for intermodality.