Performance evaluation and alternative optimization model of light rail transit network projects: A real case perspective

Abstract

Light rail transit network is essential to the development of urban public transportation, and the aim of this study is to provide a scientific, efficient, and new methodology to measure and assess the pros and cons of various planning schemes for light rail transit (LRT) network, which can help guide the process of alternative prioritization and decision-making support. More specifically, through establishing the multi-attribute assessment index system, and pondering the combinational weighting model (consistent matrix analysis and information entropy methods), a data-driven and flexible multi-criteria matter-element decision-making (MCMEDM) model for LRT network optimization is constructed in this work. Furthermore, objectivity, impartiality, rationality, and validity of the proposed model are discussed and verified by a didactical case with real datasets in Jining, China. The modeling analysis (quantitative procedures) results and findings reveal that this approach is reliable and applicable to appraise and prioritize the LRT networks, avoiding the decision biases due to human or other factors. Additionally, the proposed framework can offer urban planners, managers, decision and policy makers the appropriate comments and suggestions of identifying the superior alternative (project), as well as serve as a guideline or reference for other cities.