Walking Access to Transit Stations

Abstract

The last-mile problem refers to challenges that travelers experience in accessing transit stations from their activity locations. The objective of this study was to find the contributing factors that reduced people's propensity to walk and take transit. A stated preference study was conducted in the Chicago, Illinois, area with an online survey composed of questions based on the actual travel experience of the respondents. The data were used to estimate a logit choice model. The findings showed that access time, safety from crime, and sidewalk availability were important factors that influenced people's choice to walk to transit. The model was used to estimate time-based values associated with reduction in crime and sidewalk availability. The study also estimated the propensity to walk and use transit for a representative resident in each tract of the Chicago metropolitan area. These values were then used to identify census tracts where acute to minimal barriers to walking to transit existed. In addition to suburban areas that were not well suited for walking to transit, the results identified areas that were well served by transit but had other barriers that inhibited walking access to transit.