Best Practices Guide to Mass Transit

[spuwho]

The Victoria (CA) Transport Policy Institute has released (8/10) a "Best Practices Guidebook" for evaluating the cost benefits of using mass transit. It is pro-transit, but some the research is very detailed. If you are not into transit analysis, this would be a boring read. If you enjoy being informed on how some of the cost decisions are reached, then dig in.

http://www.vtpi.org/tranben.pdf

Some highlights:

- Efficiency Benefits
- Land Use Impacts
- Comparison of Transit and Automobile Costs
- Rail versus Bus Comparison (look out BRT folks!)

Or remarks such as this:

Rail transit tends to encourage urban infill and is often a catalyst for more walkable
neighborhoods, while urban roadway expansion tends to stimulate sprawl. Evaluation that
considers land use planning objectives tends to place a greater value on rail transit.
Evaluation that ignores these factors tends to favor highway investments. 

Transit service and ridership tend to increase if transit is implemented with various support
strategies. Evaluation that ignores these strategies will tend to undervalue the full potential
benefits of a comprehensive transit improvement program.

The first remark shows that it isn't just JTA that is responsible, it requires comprehensive land use planning. If COJ plans, then JTA can plan accordingly.

The second remark shows that "just building it" when the money is there isn't enough. There must be annual budgets for marketing and community awareness.

[thelakelander]

Thanks for the link.  Luckily, COJ has a plan.



http://www.coj.net/Departments/Planning+and+Development/Community+Planning/Mobility+Plan.htm

Let's hope that JTA is willing to follow it by prioritizing certain modes accordingly.