ASKING TRANSIT USERS ABOUT TRANSIT-ORIENTED DESIGN

R Ewing

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2000

Subject Area

infrastructure - stop, planning - surveys, land use - planning, mode - bus

Keywords

Visual presentations, Transit riders, Transit oriented design, Surveys, Stop (Public transportation), Ratings, Public participation, Public involvement, Planning and design, Local participation, Design, Consumers' preferences, Consumer preferences, Citizen participation, Bus stops

Abstract

Visual-preference surveys are becoming popular in "visioning" projects, design charrettes, and other physical planning activities in which intensive public involvement is desired. In a survey, transit users, nonusers, and professionals were shown a series of paired slides of bus stops, asked to choose the stop from each pair at which they would prefer to wait, and asked to rate each stop chosen as a place to wait. Slides then were analyzed for content, with 19 features of bus stops and surroundings measured and quantified. Subsequent analysis showed that transit-oriented design features most affecting both choices and ratings are a bus shelter at the stop, trees along the street leading to the stop, a vertical curb at the stop, the setback of the stop from the street edge, and a continuous sidewalk leading to the stop. Such a survey may help transit planners choose the best transit-stop locations and devote financial resources to the most promising transit-stop amenities, given the inevitable tradeoffs involved.

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS