Transit Stations Research Articles

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (TOD) FOR EARLY-BUILT RAIL-BASED TRANSIT STATIONS: POSSIBLE OR PLAUSIBLE?

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) embraces many principles, and is believed to be beneficial in tackling the issues of urban transportation. Some of the main dilemmas are urban accessibility, traffic congestion, and the efficacy of the public transportation system. In Malaysia, the TOD concept was introduced in 2005, much later after Calthorpe embarked on the idea. Rail-based public transport emerged much earlier in Malaysia to meet the demands for public transportation. To date, it is still debatable whether these transit stations deliver on the principles of TOD. Hence, to determine that, this study examined two transit stations that were developed way before the TOD concept was executed in the country. The aim was to evaluate the core areas of Subang Jaya Commuter Station and Tun Sambanthan Monorail Station, based on their components and features, in relation to TOD principles, and to examine the possibility of these early-built transit stations in becoming an ideal TOD. The study evaluated the land use components using the Case Study Method, together with the existence of several principles, namely “connectivity”, “facilities”, “safety” and “comfort”. Results indicated that both transit stations reflect some of the TOD measures, but these are not comprehensive throughout the 400m radius of the core areas. The stations have potential, but require a systematic approach to achieve TOD ideals since both areas are saturated with development, and making changes to land use may not be straightforward.

The node-place model, accessibility, and station level transit ridership

This paper uses Sydney rail data to examine the relationship between station level ridership and local and regional accessibility. We use net transit accessibility, which is the additional number of opportunities reachable by transit over walking to represent the regional connectivity value provided by transit. We map accessibility at transit stations, and use the number of opportunities within walking distance as an indicator of local access. We find elements of place (or local) access, including access to jobs and to residents within walking distance (local access), and nodal (or regional) access, including transit access to distant jobs and residential locations are both significant indicators of station level ridership. In particular, the number of jobs within walking distance of a transit station is the best single predictor of transit ridership. This paper highlights the importance of high density around station areas for transit ridership.

Risk path prediction and early warning method of LNG unloading system based on improved kinetic model

The LNG unloading system is an important transit station for LNG storage, processing and outgoing transmission. The main processes include ship unloading, storage, gasification and outgoing transmission, BOG condensation, flare venting and other processes, which involve intensive personnel operation and safety management activities. Once LNG is leaked, frostbite will happen to personnel and fire and explosion will occur when encountering ignition sources, which will cause serious consequences that are difficult to bear. The risk path of the static safety evaluation method is based on qualitative judgment, and the dynamic evolution direction of the LNG unloading system risk factors is not accurately predicted, so how to accurately predict and warn the risk path during the risk evolution is a key issue. In this paper, based on the improved system dynamics model, a propagation method with risk entropy as the information carrier is established to identify two different types of dynamic risk nodes, energy diffusion and energy conduction. Compared with the traditional dynamics model, the prediction accuracy of dynamic risk nodes of the improved model is increased by 22%, 20% and 14% for the unloading process, storage process and loading and transfer process, respectively. The prediction of the path of energy-conducting type risk evolution direction is increased by 29.3%, 32.4% and 30%, respectively. The simulation results are beneficial to the dynamic risk control and accident prevention of LNG unloading system, and provide new ideas for natural gas energy safety and security.

Urban Rail Transit Station Type Identification Based on “Passenger Flow—Land Use—Job-Housing”

Urban rail transit stations serve as pivotal hubs that facilitate the advancement of diverse economic activities. Based on different types of metro stations, the sustainable and coordinated development of public transport and land use can be achieved through rational land use planning and the rational allocation of urban infrastructure and public service facilities. Drawing upon mobile phone signaling data and land use data, this article presents a complex classification methodology for metro stations, employing the lens of “passenger flow behavior—land use structure—job-housing density” in the context of Xi’an. The stations are categorized into six distinct types, including employment-led stations with a job–housing density balance, as well as stations characterized by job–housing mismatch with a high residential density. The results indicate a low level of coupling between the passenger flow patterns of the stations and the spatial characteristics of the station areas. In addition, the spatial distributions of the stations demonstrate a significant aggregation effect in each station type, while the degree of integration between the different station types remains limited. These findings collectively suggest that the urban rail transit stations in Xi’an have not achieved complementary development, thereby reflecting a notable trend of cross-regional commuter flow in the city.

Enhancing the pedestrian environment and walking willingness around mass rapid transit (MRT) stations in Asian cities – an empirical study of Taipei

ABSTRACT Asian cities have promoted TOD to increase MRT use and decrease private vehicle use. A crucial factor in achieving this goal is improving the pedestrian environment, which can increase people's willingness to walk to MRT stations. This paper analyses how Asian cities have improved the pedestrian environment around MRT stations and the factors influencing walking willingness by reviewing literature and taking Taipei as the empirical area. The results demonstrated that reducing obstacles in pedestrian space, evening the pavement, using transparent window displays in stores along the pavement, and constructing rain shelters can increase people's willingness to walk. The simulations of improved environments can provide references for countries improving the pedestrian environment. The contribution and innovation are to point out the differences in the motivation and goals of TOD in Asian and Western cities and propose improvements to increase people's willingness to walk to achieve TOD's goals.

Effects of buffer size on associations between the built environment and metro ridership: A machine learning-based sensitive analysis

Uncertainty in the relevant buffer size of metro station catchment areas may drive inconsistencies in the findings on the built environment and metro ridership. Although previous studies estimate the effect of this uncertainty, the results are far from definitive. By utilizing finer-grained big data and non-parametric machine learning approaches, this study conducted a sensitivity analysis defining built environment factors within four radial buffer sizes: 300 m, 600 m, 800 m, and 1000 m on associations with metro ridership. The results suggest that: (1) different buffer sizes have little influence on the ordinary least-squares model's predictive power, but significant influence on the machine learning model; (2) the use of a 600 m buffer size around the transit station demonstrates the best model fit and variation explanation compared to others; (3) findings on the relative importance, ranks, and nonlinear associations with metro ridership can be impacted as the choice of geographic delineation of buffer sizes deviate from the true relevant geographic context of built environment variables. The results assist planners in setting a benchmark for metro catchment areas for station-area planning and demand forecasting, more importantly, the findings highlight the importance of meticulously selecting the analytical spatial unit for area-based variables, especially when utilizing non-parametric machine learning approaches in research.

Analysing the Relationship between Proximity to Transit Stations and Local Living Patterns: A Study of Human Mobility within a 15 Min Walking Distance through Mobile Location Data

Urban planning and transportation policies are vital to creating sustainable and liveable cities. Transit-orientated development (TOD) has emerged as a prominent approach that emphasises the establishment of neighbourhoods with convenient access to public transportation, thereby promoting car-free lifestyles. This research investigates the connection between proximity to transit stations and local living habits in Auckland, New Zealand, which is a car-dependent city aiming to transition to a sustainable TOD model. We use geolocational data from mobile phones to measure the daily mobility patterns of residents living within a 15 min walking distance of various transit stations. Employing ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, we analyse the correlation between residents’ average travel distances and individual mobility, considering different station contexts. We aim to determine whether individuals living near transit stations are more inclined to participate in local activities and make a higher proportion of short-distance trips. The results illustrate that approximately 54% of the residents show dominant localised mobility patterns. Living near a station is significantly associated with shorter annual travel distances, although this trend varies by area. Notably, only about 16 of the 34 stations studied indicate that their local residents predominantly engage in ‘local’ travel patterns. Rural stations show less correlation, likely due to poor infrastructure and limited walkability. This study underscores the vital role of proximity to transit stations in promoting sustainable mobility. It serves as a foundational guide for urban planners and designers to make informed decisions that improve the built environment and optimise land use.

Transmission Dynamics of Imported Vaccine-Origin PRRSV-2 within and between Commercial Swine Integrations in Hungary.

This study reports on the molecular epidemiology of Ingelvac-PRRS-MLV-associated cases in Hungary for the period 2020-2021. Field epidemiology investigations led the experts to conclude that imported pigs, which were shipped through transit stations in Denmark, introduced the vaccine virus. The movement of fatteners and the neglect of disease control measures contributed to the spread of the virus to PRRS-free pig holdings in the vicinity. Deep sequencing was performed to genetically characterize the genes coding for the virion antigens (i.e., ORF2 through ORF7). The study isolates exhibited a range of 0.1 to 1.8% nucleotide sequence divergence from the Ingelvac PRRS MLV and identified numerous polymorphic sites (up to 57 sites) along the amplified 3.2 kilo base pair genomic region. Our findings confirm that some PRRSV-2 vaccine strains can accumulate very high number of point mutations within a short period in immunologically naive pig herds.

Determining a Key Service Area of Feeder Buses for Rail Transit Station Based on Potential Railway Demand

As the size of the city expands, longer journeys often involve the use of two or more modes of transportation. Feeder buses perform as a feeder mode of rail transit, its feeder areas are the key factor to improve this bus-rail transit mode service quality. Feeder areas that are either too small or too large can hinder the effectiveness of feeder buses. This paper presents a method to determine a suitable range as the key service of feeder buses for rail transit stations. The modal of accessibility consistency threshold interface of bus and bus-rail transit mode features is established, and the competition area of adjacent stations is considered to calculate the reasonable bus feeder range of rail transit stations. Based on the analysis of the demand characteristics of the feeder passengers, the potential passengers of the bus-rail transit travel mode are defined as the travel where only one endpoint of the starting and ending is within the walking range of the rail transit station, and a method for identifying the points of interest of potential passengers of the bus-rail transit mode is proposed. The potential passenger flow within the reasonable feeder range of rail transit stations is visualized, and the key service areas of feeder buses are determined based on the maximum potential passengers. Taking Jinan Metro Line NO.2 Stations as an example, combined with the station type, the key service area of feeder buses for railway stations is explained.

SPATIAL WALKABILITY INDEX (SWI) OF PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO RAIL TRANSIT STATION IN KUALA LUMPUR CITY CENTER

Walkability is crucial for sustainable transportation in cities but measuring it may be difficult due to unclear criteria that could be used as well as the methods available. This study aims to measure the Spatial Walkability Index (SWI) of pedestrian access to rail transit stations in Kuala Lumpur City Center by using a comprehensive set of criteria including Connectivity, Land use mix, Comfort, Security, and Safety, which are all represented as ground measurable parameters in this study. SWI was derived using Analytical Network Process (ANP) and GIS analysis. ANP is a decision-making technique that uses pairwise comparison to derive the weightage of the ground measurable parameters which then were used to determine the SWI for pedestrians by using GIS proximity analysis. In this analysis, the weightage of parameters located on the road were used as basis in deriving the SWI. As a result, the SWI for pedestrian access to rail-transit stations in KL City Center was determined. The results revealed that the SWI for most of the area was in average level. Based on analysis conducted, the SWI was greatly influenced by its criteria, proving how ANP can aid in analyzing the SWI by incorporating the weightage of its criteria.

The Analysis of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) of Electric Train Stations in Bangkok and Metropolitan Region: The Case Study of Chaleom Ratchamongkon Line and Chalong Ratchadham Line

This research studies transit oriented development (TOD) of two Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) lines, Chaloem Ratchamongkon Line (Blue line) and Chalong Ratchatham line (Purple line), total 53 stations in total, in Bangkok and Nonthaburi Province. The researcher analyze four factors of built environment around mass transit station, 1) Density 2) Diversity 3) Design and Distance 4) Destination and Connectivity. For the density factors, including population density, number of points of interest (POI) and total building area to land area ratio (FAR). For the diversity factors, including the diversity of land use and number of shops around the station. For design and distance factors, including road density, number of parking spaces, Open Space Ratio (OSR). As for the factors related to destinations and connectivity, including the number of bus lines, number of entrances and exits of the train station, number of schools, Number of condominiums and number of villages. The researchers have considered the weight of each variable by using the Information entropy weight method (IEW) and calculated the transit oriented development score (TOD SCORE). From the TOD SCORE calculations of all 53 stations, the researchers find the strengths and weaknesses of each station. The average TOD score of the Purple Line stations is higher than that of the Blue Line stations. The station with the highest total TOD SCORE on the Blue Line is Tha Phra Station and the station with the highest total TOD SCORE on the Purple Line is Sai Ma Station. The station with the lowest total TOD SCORE on the Blue Line is Bang Sue Station and the station with the lowest total TOD SCORE on the Purple Line is Bang Rak Noi Tha It Station. In addition, the researchers analyzed the maximum and minimum values of TOD SCORE for each factor. and described in this research. The results of TOD SCORE analysis can analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each station and determine the development guidelines of mass transit stations in the future using a station with a high TOD SCORE as a model for development of the mass transit system in the future.

Measuring the influence of transit accessibility on housing and transportation expenditures in the U.S.: A propensity score matching approach

This study quantified the extent to which transit accessibility has an impact on housing and transportation expenditures of households in the U.S. (the treatment effect). This study used propensity score matching (PSM) to construct transit station areas (TSAs) and corresponding non-TSAs with similar observed characteristics, including built environment features and socio-economic characteristics of CBGs, and then employed paired t-tests to estimate the treatment effect. This study revealed that homeowners in TSAs spent 1,595 dollars more on housing expenditures and saved 493 dollars on transportation expenditures annually compared to those in non-TSAs. Also, the annual rent costs of TSAs and non-TSAs in the U.S. were about 15,990 and 14,993 dollars, while the annual transportation costs of TSAs and non-TSAs were approximately 13,151 and 13,644 dollars. This study contributes to an understanding of how transit accessibility in the U.S. was associated with the housing and transportation affordability of locations.

Research on the Mechanism of Government Incentive Measures to Rail Transit Station Renewal based on TOD Mode – An Evolutionary Game Analysis

Research on the Mechanism of Government Incentive Measures to Rail Transit Station Renewal based on TOD Mode – An Evolutionary Game Analysis

Can TODs Include Affordable Housing?

Problem, research strategy, and findings Inclusion of affordable housing in transit-oriented developments (TODs) is necessary for addressing the mobility and shelter needs of transit-dependent and low-income populations. Affordable housing in TODs, however, remains scarce despite state-level policies, interest group advocacy, and developer enthusiasm. We used a multiple case study method and focused on TOD areas in communities with disadvantaged populations in Southern California to examine barriers to and opportunities for affordable housing. We examined the contents of specific plans adopted by local governments to facilitate TODs around 10 selected transit stations in Los Angeles and Orange counties and conducted interviews with planners, policymakers, and developers involved in achieving affordable housing. Our findings indicated that although TOD specific plans permitted higher-density developments, they neither prioritized affordable housing nor presented a coherent vision for an inclusive transit community that would address the needs of different types of households. Moreover, onerous requirements for securing subsidies, patchwork financing, uncertainties in the approval process, and competition from market-rate housing inhibited affordable housing development. Although we did not analyze community opposition to TODs, it was hinted at by our interviewees. Takeaway for practice Targeting affordable housing in TODs, providing incentives, and strengthening the institutional framework are critical to achieving inclusive transit communities. The development of TODs in a politically fragmented region like Southern California necessitates a lead organization to procure affordable housing investments and strengthen the housing–transportation nexus. We note broader implications of the findings beyond California.

Development of Public Spaces: the Impact of Metro Stations Construction on the Formation of the Structure of the Adjacent Territory

The article aims to study the development potential of local urban centers around the rapid transit system with due regard to the historical traditions of urban development and modern urban planning principles. To attain this end, the authors use a set of methods, including site analysis, data collection, classification, and project proposal development. The paper presents the tradition of forming a peripheral public space within the historical boundaries of the city. It is demonstrated that the current development of local public spaces based on peripheral rapid transit stations can be considered a continuation of this tradition at a new historical and technological stage. The authors select metro stations suitable for the formation of local urban centers. To determine the possibility of placing a public space in the vicinity of metro stations, calculations are made for territories included in forty-three metro zones of the peripheral part of the city and thirteen zones of the middle part of the city. Based on a group of indicators for the selected stations, the authors conduct an analysis and compile a table that characterizes the territories near each rapid transit station. As a result, the density and floor space index, passenger traffic per day, and the balance of the adjacent territory for each station were determined. There are draft projects for the development of territories, layouts, and visualizations of the proposed options for building open public spaces. The authors consider scenarios for the placement and transformation of public centers near metro stations. The study reveals how the construction of each metro station affects the adjacent territory. It is worth mentioning that new stations affect not only the lifestyle of citizens, with improved transport accessibility, the status of the territory increases, new centers of social activity, and new public spaces emerge.

Conceptual Framework for Maximizing Service Catchment Area Between Rail Transit and Feeder Service Using Spatial Temporal Regression Technique

The move towards a more sustainable transport mode is crucial in the Klang Valley by incorporating feeder services to rail network stations. Feeder services will complement the expanding rail transits network and deliver connectivity for areas not covered within rail stations. Past literatures found that feeder services were ineffective during rail breakdown as feeder service was not going or stopping to where it was intended to. Feeder service can be allocated more effectively if we have better idea of targeted service area. Urban planners now have access to a variety of urban analytics because of technological advancements and the rise of smart cities. Data generated are produced across numerous locations and at diverse time scales, providing a significant possibility for data mining to uncover insightful information when both space and time are considered. This study will attempt to assess the community’s accessibility to rail transit through feeder service in Klang Valley. In achieving this a conceptual framework is developed within the objectives of this study which are firstly, to identify built environment factors that influence ridership around transit stations. Secondly, to determine the spatial -temporal relationship between built environment and transit ridership of feeder service and rail transits. Next, the station-level spatial and temporal variability of ridership data between feeder service to rail network is examined. Finally, as the main finding of this study, a framework in maximizing a service catchment transportation service for feeder service and rail transit will be developed. In doing that, the conceptual framework approach is by addressing numerical analytical technique in geographic data, by using spatial temporal regression. This study aspires to provide planning departments and transit agencies with useful guidance to execute targeted policies and develop a sustainable and efficient feeder service coverage area to support rail transits by looking at both spatial and temporal scales.

Ridership Prediction of Urban Rail Transit Stations Based on AFC and POI Data

Ridership Prediction of Urban Rail Transit Stations Based on AFC and POI Data

Optimization Method for Land Use of the Xi’an Rail Transit Station Area Based on a Multi-Objective Model

For the intensive, efficient, and sustainable utilization of land resources, it is of great significance to optimize the spatial allocation of different types of land use intensity in rail transit station areas. The current land use optimization model has some shortcomings in objective function, constraint conditions, and the solution process. In response to this, a new multi-objective optimization model for rail transit station land use was built. With station space efficiency as the starting point, the three objectives of the model optimization were the traffic volume, environment quality, and land balance of the rail transit station, and the constraint conditions were the plot ratio, environment quality, and efficiency level. Lingo was used to solve the optimal plot ratio of different types of land use intensity. Compared with the non-inferior solution of the rail transit station area multi-objective original model, the ideal plot ratio of various land uses obtained by the optimized new model was more reasonable. There was a relatively large gap between the non-inferior solutions of some original models and the actual conditions. In contrast, the optimized new model had stronger maneuverability. The deviation ranges of the two models were −0.4% to 0.9% on the residential land plot ratio adjustment index, −3.2% to 4.8% on the public land plot ratio adjustment index, and 1.1% to 1.9% on the commercial land plot ratio adjustment index. This research aimed to provide a basis and reference for the land use and planning of Xi’an rail transit station.

Checkpoint Travel Numbers as a Proxy Variable in Population-Based Studies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Validation Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic had wide-ranging systemic impacts, with implications for social and behavioral factors in human health. The pandemic may introduce history bias in population-level research studies of other health topics during the COVID-19 period. We sought to identify and validate an accessible, flexible measure to serve as a covariate in research spanning the COVID-19 pandemic period. Transportation Security Administration checkpoint travel numbers were used to calculate a weekly sum of daily passengers and validated against two measures with strong face validity: (1) a self-reported item on social distancing practices drawn from a continuous tracking survey among a national sample of youths and young adults (15-24 years) in the United States (N=45,080, approximately 280 unique respondents each week); and (2) Google's Community Mobility Reports, which calculate daily values at the national level to represent rates of change in visits and length of stays to public spaces. For the self-reported survey data, an aggregated week-level variable was calculated as the proportion of respondents who did not practice social distancing that week (January 1, 2019, to May 31, 2022). For the community mobility data, a weekly estimate of change was calculated using daily values compared to a 5-week prepandemic baseline period (January 3, 2020, to February 6, 2020). Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated for each comparison. Checkpoint travel data ranged from 668,719 travelers in the week of April 8, 2020, to nearly 15.5 million travelers in the week of May 18, 2022. The weekly proportion of survey respondents who did not practice social distancing ranged from 18.1% (n=42; week of April 15, 2020) to 70.9% (n=213; week of May 25, 2022). The measures were strongly correlated from January 2019 to May 2022 (ρ=0.90, P<.001) and March 2020 to May 2022 (ρ=0.87, P<.001). Strong correlations were observed when analyses were restricted to age groups (15-17 years: ρ=0.90; P<.001; 18-20 years: ρ=0.87; P<.001; 21-24 years: ρ=0.88; P<.001), racial or ethnic minorities (ρ=0.86, P<.001), and respondents with lower socioeconomic status (ρ=0.88, P<.001). There were also strong correlations between the weekly change from the baseline period for checkpoint travel data and community mobility data for transit stations (ρ=0.92, P<.001) and retail and recreation (ρ=0.89, P<.001), and moderate significant correlations for grocery and pharmacy (ρ=0.68, P<.001) and parks (ρ=0.62, P<.001). A strong negative correlation was observed for places of residence (ρ=-0.78, P<.001), and a weak but significant positive correlation was found for workplaces (ρ=0.24, P<.001). The Transportation Security Administration's travel checkpoint data provide a publicly available flexible time-varying metric to control for history bias introduced by the pandemic in research studies spanning the COVID-19 period in the United States.

Land use and sexual harassment: A geospatial analysis based on the volunteer HarassMap‐Egypt

AbstractSexual harassment and gang rape in Egypt have garnered attention from both traditional and digital media. This study employed a volunteer HarassMap to analyse sexual harassment crimes (SHCs) across Egypt from a spatial perspective. The specific aims were to apply the Hierarchical Density‐Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (HDBSCAN) algorithm to locate clusters of reported SHCs, and to assess their spatial dependence on land use types. To accomplish this task, ring buffers of 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 metres were established around each crime scene to determine which land use was mostly associated with the incidence of these SHCs. Local bivariate relationships were used to explore the associations between SHC and each land‐use category. Results from the HDBSCAN algorithm revealed four crime clusters within the study domain, mainly located in Greater Cairo, Alexandria, and Behaira. Notably, commercial establishments and transit stations showed a significantly positive correlation with SHC. The study shows how land uses shape SHC and showed that it is possible to identify environmental risk factors for harassment. These risk factors can help policymakers, urban planners, and community stakeholders prevent and reduce sexual harassment and gender inequality, and promote just and inclusive societies.