A spatial and temporal analysis of commute pattern changes in Central Texas

Abstract

The Austin-San Antonio Corridor, which encompasses the Austin metropolitan area and the San Antonio metropolitan area, has experienced a significant increase of commute traffic since 1990. Previous research suggested that the level of traffic congestion in the corridor increased significantly in the past two decades. An analysis of the commute patterns would help better understand the underlying causes of traffic congestion and provide information for urban planning and traffic management. Based on the US Census Transportation Planning Package Part 3 Journey-to-Work data for 1990 and 2000, this study developed a set of GIS-based methods to analyze the spatial and temporal change of commute patterns and commute flows in the Austin-San Antonio Corridor. The analyses revealed communities that experienced a significant increase of commute traffic and identified major travel corridors that carry a high proportion of the traffic in the area. The findings from this study should be particularly useful to public transportation providers seeking information for improving the coordination of rural-tourban public transportation services. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.