A comprehensive regional accessibility model based on actual routes-of-travel: A proposal with multiple online data

Abstract

Accessibility models are important tools in evaluating economic potential and estimating inter-city transport connections. However, existing models are mostly based on infrastructure networks, where the actual arrangement of time-tables, road condition etc. are not considered. Internet booking platforms and online digital maps now provide detailed train and flight time-tables and accurate road trip recommendations, which can be synthesized into travel routes that are very close to predicting what occurs in reality. On this basis we propose a new structure of accessibility model, where the accessibility between cities are represented as the accumulation of all feasible travel routes, and the travel routes are weighted by their actual time and financial cost. By validating the model with economic data and actual traffic volume acquired through location-based services data, the model proves more effective than traditional accessibility model and network indicators.