GEOG 80 Transport GeographyProfessor: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Hofstra University, Department of Global Studies & Geography
Topic 6 – Urban Transportation
A. Transportation and Urban FormB. Urban Land Use and TransportationC. Urban MobilityD. Urban Transport Problems
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
C – URBAN MOBILITY
1. Urban Movements 2. Urban Transit
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Types of Urban Movements
Movement Type Pattern Dominant Time Destination
Pendular Structured Morning and afternoon
Localized (employment)
Professional Varied Workdays Localized
Personal Structured Evening Varied with some foci
Touristic Seasonal Day Highly localized
Distribution Structured Nighttime Localized
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Suitability of Travel Modes
Mode Limitations Most Appropriate Uses
WalkingRequires physical ability.Limited distance and carrying capacity.Difficult or unsafe in some areas.
Short trips by physically able people.
Bicycle Requires bicycle and physical ability.Limited distance and carrying capacity.
Short to medium length trips by physically able people on suitable routes.
Taxi Relatively high cost per mile. Infrequent trips, short and medium distance trips.
Fixed Route Transit Destinations and times limited. Short to medium distance trips along busy corridors.
Paratransit High cost and limited service. Travel for disabled people.
Auto driver Requires driving ability and automobile.High fixed costs.
Travel by people who can drive and afford an automobile.
RidesharingRequires cooperative automobile driver.Consumes driver’s time if a special trip (chauffeuring).
Trips that the driver would take anyway (ridesharing). Occasional special trips (chauffeuring).
Car sharing (Vehicle Rentals) Requires convenient and affordable vehicle rentals services.
Occasional use by drivers who do not own an automobile.
Motorcycle Requires riding ability and motorcycle.Average fixed costs.
Travel by people who can ride and afford a motorcycle.
Telecommute Requires equipment and skill. Alternative to some types of trips.
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Main Purposes of Urban Trips
20%
15%
5%
3%5%
50%
3%
Work
Shopping
School
Business (Work)
Business (Personnal)
Home
Other
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Typical Urban Day Trips by Modes, Origins and Destinations
Home Work
School(drop off child)
Restaurant
Shopping mall
8:00 AMCarpool
8:15 AMDrive alone
12:30 PMWalk
1:30 PMWalk5:30 PM
Drive alone
7:00 PMDrive alone
8:30 PMDrive alone
PassengersFreight
7:00 AMGarbagepickup
1:30 AMDelivery
2:30 AMReturn
10:30 PMDelivery
10:45 PMReturn
10:00 AMParcel
Drop off10:05 AM
ParcelPickup
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Urban Travel by Purpose and by Time of the Day in a North American Metropolis
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 230
5
10
15
20
25ShoppingSocial / RecreationWorkTotal trips
Perc
enta
ge
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Home-to-Work Trips Modes, United States, 1985-2005
1985 1989 1993 1997 2000 20050%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Works at homeOther meansWalks onlyBicycle or motorcycleMass transitCarpoolDrives self
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Modal Split for Global Cities, 1995
Chinese Cities American Cities Australian Cities West European Cities
High Income Asian Cities
Low Income Asian Cities
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Private Motor VehicleTransitWalking / Cycling
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Mode Share for Commuting, New York, 1980-2000
1980 1990 20000%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Other non walkTaxi
BusSubwayAutomobile
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
2. Urban Transit
■ Context• Dominantly an urban transportation mode.• The great majority of transit trips are taking place in large cities.• Conditions fundamental to the efficiency of transit systems:
• High density and high mobility demands over short distances.• Shared public service:
• Benefits from economies of agglomeration related to high densities.• Economies of scale related to high mobility demands.
■ Transit systems• Many types of services established to answer mobility needs.• Variety of transit systems around the world.
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Private Vehicle and Public Transport Market Share, 1990/91
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Public Transport Market Share
Priv
ate
Vehi
cle M
arke
t Sha
re
Asian Cities
European Cities
American Cities
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Public Transport Market Share in the United States, 1900-2005
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 20000
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Estimated Public Transport Passenger Miles
Public Transport Market Share
Billio
ns
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
2. Urban Transit Systems
Subway system Heavy rail system, often underground in central areas, with fixed routes, services and stations. Uniform frequency of services (peak hours increase). Fares are commonly access driven and constant.
Bus system Scheduled fixed routes and stops serviced by motorized multiple passengers vehicles (45 - 80 passengers). Services are often synchronized with other heavy systems (feeders). Express services (notably during peak hours).
Transit rail system
Fixed rail (tram rail system and commuter rail system). Frequency of services strongly linked with peak hours. Traffic tends to be imbalanced. Fares proportional to distance or service zones.
Shuttle system Privately (dominantly) owned using small buses or vans. Expanding mobility along a corridor during peak hour. Linking a specific activity center (shopping mall, university campus, industrial zone, hotel, etc.). Servicing the elderly or people with disabilities.
Paratransit system
Flexible and privately owned demand-response system. Door-to-door service, less loading and unloading time, less stops and more maneuverability in traffic.
Taxi system Privately owned vehicles offering an individual demand-response system. Fares commonly a function of a metered distance/time. When competition is not permitted, fares are set up by regulations. Servicing an area where a taxi company has the right (permit) to pickup customers. Rights are issued by a municipality.
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Components of an Urban Transit System
X
XX
XX
X
X X
X
X X X
X
X
X
XX
X
XX
X
X
X
Metro station
TransferX
Transit rail station Bus stop
Express stop
Shuttle stop Paratransit Taxi serviceboundary
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Estimated Ridership of the World’s Largest Public Transit Systems, 1998
Tokyo-Yokohama
Mexico City
Moscow
Shanghai
Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto
Hong Kong
Seoul
Mumbai
Beijing
Buenos Aires
Sao Paulo
London
Paris
Manila
New York
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
Estimated Annual Journeys (billions)
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Trips by Public Transport in the United States, 1970-2005
1970
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
Bus Heavy Rail Light Rail
Millio
ns
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
D – URBAN TRANSPORT PROBLEMS
1. Geographical Challenges Facing Urban Transportation2. Automobile Dependency3. Congestion
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
1. Geographical Challenges Facing Urban Transportation
■ Context• Most important transport problems often related to urban areas.• Urban productivity:
• Dependent on the efficiency of its transport system.• Move labor, consumers and freight between several origins and
destinations.• Growing complexity of cities:
• Accompanied by a wide array of urban transportation problems.• Some problems are ancient like congestion (Rome).• Others are new like environmental impacts:
• Notably CO2 emissions linked with the diffusion of the internal combustion engine.
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
1. Geographical Challenges Facing Urban Transportation
Traffic congestion and parking difficulties
Supply of infrastructures has not kept up with the growth of mobility. Vehicles spend the majority of the time parked; motorization has expanded the demand for parking space.
Public transport inadequacy
Over or under-usage of public transport systems. Inability of public transit systems to be financially sustainable.
Difficulties for pedestrians
Intense traffic, where the mobility of pedestrians and vehicles are impaired. Lack of consideration for pedestrians in the physical design of facilities.
Environmental impacts and energy consumption
Pollution (e.g. noise) generated by circulation has impediments. Dependency on petroleum.
Accidents and safety
Growing traffic linked with a growing number of accidents and fatalities. Accidents account for a significant share of recurring delays.
Land consumption Significant territorial imprint. Between 30 and 60% of a metropolitan area may be devoted to transportation.
Freight distribution Globalization resulted in growing quantities of freight moving in cities. Shares infrastructures with the circulation of passengers. City logistics.
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
2. Automobile Dependency
■ Causes• Advantages of automobile use:
• Performance, comfort, status, speed, and convenience.• Illustrates why car ownership continues to grow worldwide.
• Factors of growth:• Sustained economic growth (increase in revenue and quality of life).• Complex individual urban movement patterns.• Peripheral urban growth.
■ Factors of dependency• Under pricing and consumer choices:
• Most road infrastructures are subsidized (considered a public service).• Drivers do not bear the full cost of car usage.• Car ownership is a symbol of status• Single home ownership.
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
2. Automobile Dependency
• Planning and investment practices:• Aims towards improving road and parking facilities in an ongoing attempt
to avoid congestion.• Transportation alternatives tend to be disregarded.• In many cases, zoning regulations impose minimum standards of road and
parking services and de facto impose a regulated car dependency.
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
3. Congestion
■ Congestion• Occurs when transport demand exceeds transport supply:
• At a specific point in time.• In a specific section of the transport system.
• Each vehicle impairs the mobility of others.• Types:
• Recurring congestion (specific times of the day and on specific segments of the transport system).
• Random events (accidents and weather conditions).
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Recurring Congestion
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
TrafficCapacity
Unused Capacity
Congestion
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Major Sources of Recurring and Non-Recurring Congestion
40%
25%
10%
15%
5%5%
Congestion in the United States (hours by Cause)
Recurring CongestionTraffic IncidentsWork ZonesWeatherPoor Signal TimingOther
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Roadway Congestion Index, Selected Cities, United States, 1982-2007
0.600000000000001
0.800000000000001
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
19821990199420002007
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Average Hourly Traffic on George Washington Bridge, 2002
12AM
1AM
2AM
3AM
4AM
5AM
6AM
7AM
8AM
9AM
10AM
11AM
12PM
1PM
2PM
3PM
4PM
5PM
6PM
7PM
8PM
9PM
10PM
11PM
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000 EastboundWestboundTotal
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
The Vicious Circle of Congestion
CongestionPublic
pressures to increase capacityNew
capacityMovement
s are easier
Urban sprawl is favored
The average length of
movements
increases
The number of
movements increases
© Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue
3. Congestion: Some Mitigation Measures
Ramp metering Controlling access to a congested highway by letting automobiles in one at a time instead of in groups.
Traffic signal synchronization
Tuning the traffic signals to the time and direction of traffic flows.
Incident management
Making sure that vehicles involved in accidents or mechanical failures are removed as quickly as possible from the road.
Carpooling Individual providing ridership to people having a similar origin, destination and commuting time. Two or more vehicle trips combined into one. Vehicle pools.
HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes
Vehicles with 2 or more passengers (buses, vans, carpool, etc.) have exclusive access to a less congested lane.
Public transit Offering alternatives to driving.