Transit Access

Improving Walking and Biking to Commuter Rail Stations in Greater Boston.

This map describes pedestrian and bicycle access to commuter-rail stations in the greater Boston area by comparing three definitions of catchment areas—1) as a crow-flies distance (circle distance), 2) network distance and 3) “perceived” distance to the nearest station. Pedestrian- and bicycle path-choice studies have shown that people's perception of distance can substantially differ from objectively measured distance. For instance, walking along routes with high traffic volumes and speeds tends to make the walk feel longer than it is, while passing by ground-businesses or greenery makes distance feel shorter. Similarly, having quality bike paths makes biking distances feel shorter, while having to bike against traffic has the opposite effect. Using behavioral findings from prior studies (1,2), the maps below illustrate how much smaller the perceived ~10 minute walk- and bike-sheds are compared to the “network” and “as-a-crow-flies” catchment areas around current commuter rail stations around in the system. All walk-sheds are mapped using a ½ mile distance, bike-sheds using a 1½ mile distance. It is within the “perceived” catchment areas—particularly the “perceived” ½ mile walking zones—that people “feel” they can get to stations within approx. 10 minutes with non-motorized transportation, delineating critical areas for Transit Oriented Development and transit-improvement impacts.

Summary statistics below indicate what percentage of residents, jobs, gross floor area (GFA) and vacant land are contained within the “perceived” and network catchment areas, compared to the as-a-crow-flies walk (½ mile) and bike (1½ miles) zones around stations.

Four potential policy options are also presented. To improve walking conditions, the map explores how a) a 20-mph maximum speed limit on all roads that currently have speed limits below 55-mph and b) a 50% increase in ground-floor amenities could impact the “perceived” ½ mile walksheds around stations. To improve bike access to stations, the map explores how c) allowing two-way biking on all one-way streets within ½ miles of stations and d) implementing protected bike lanes on all streets within ½ miles of stations, with bike routes (bikes mixed with traffic, with painted signs on roadways) within the rest of the 1½ mile bike sheds around stations. The summary charts describe how each of these scenarios could reduce the “perceived” distance to the nearest commuter rail station, improving access to residents, jobs, GFA and unbuilt parcels in the commuter rail system as a whole. The interactive map can be used to explore potential impacts at particular stations.

Downloads
Report
Findings Table
Geospatial Data

References:
1.    Sevtsuk, A., Li, X., Basu, R., & Kalvo, R. (upcoming). A big data approach to understanding pedestrian route choice preferences - Evidence from San Francisco. Travel Behavior and Society.
2.    Hood, J., Sall, E., & Charlton, B. (2011). A GPS-based bicycle route choice model for San Francisco, California. Transportation Letters, 3(1), 63–75

Credits
Andres Sevtsuk, Director City Form Lab, MIT
Rubén Morgan, MCP/MST 2021, MIT
Sarah Fayad, MLAUD 2020, Harvard GSD
Dylan Halpern, MCP 2020, MIT