Walk-and-Ride: Factors Influencing Pedestrian Access to Transit

Abstract

The predominant means of reaching suburban rail stations in the United States is by private car. Transit villages strive, among other things, to convert larger shares of rail access trips to walk-and-ride, bike-and-ride, and bus-and-ride. Empirical evidence on how built environments influence walk-access to rail transit remains sketchy. In this article, analyses are carried out at two resolutions to address this question. Aggregate data from the San Francisco Bay Area reveal compact, mixed-use settings with minimal obstructions are conducive to walk-and-ride rail patronage. A disaggregate-level analysis of access trips to Washington Metrorail services by residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, shows that urban design, and particularly sidewalk provisions and street dimensions, significantly influence whether someone reaches a rail stop by foot or not. Elasticities are presented that summarize findings. The article concludes that conversion of park-and-ride lots to transit-oriented developments holds considerable promise for promoting walk-and-ride transit usage in years to come.