Full Citation
Title: The value of dedicated right of way (ROW) to transit ridership and carbon emissions
Citation Type: Working Paper
Publication Year: 2023
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Abstract: Transit systems are instrumental in reducing vehicle miles travelled and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The transitway program in the Twin Cities, initially focused on dedicated right of way (ROW), has seen newer forms such as mixed traffic and managed lanes emerge. Understanding the impact of different ROWs on ridership and emissions is critical for future planning. This research project examined the influence of dedicated ROW on transit ridership and GHG emissions reduction. With data from 78 US rail transit and BRT routes, we applied the gradient boosting decision tree method to assess the impact of four ROW types and other factors on ridership and GHG emissions. Transit routes with less traffic interference attract substantilly more passengers. An upgrade from mixed traffic to semi-exclusive ROW could see a yearly ridership increase of 70,000, while moving from semi-exclusive to exclusive could add 3.68 million passengers annually. Apart from ROW, number of stops, commence year of the route, population density, signal priority, and several other factors significantly influence ridership. Upgrading ROW has substantial GHG emission reduction benefits, especially with increased usage of electric BRT vehicles. Improving ROWs can notably enhance transit route performance in terms of ridership and GHG reductions. Strategies like dedicated transit lanes, smart traffic management systems, and enhancing service frequency can boost the efficacy of transit routes. It's also pivotal to focus on areas with sufficient population and network density. Implementing a larger share of electric bus vehicles can further amplify emission reductions. While increasing ridership and reducing carbon emissions through enhanced ROWs is beneficial, a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis involving all stakeholders is vital before allocating a dedicated ROW to any transit route.
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Authors: Cao, Jason; Tao, Tao; Johnson, Isak; Huang, Hannah
Series Title: Transitway Impacts Research Program
Publication Number: 24
Institution: Center for Transportation Studies at University of Minnesota
Pages: 1-59
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Data Collections: IPUMS NHGIS
Topics: Methodology and Data Collection, Natural Resource Management, Population Mobility and Spatial Demography
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