2013 Session: 346

• Feasibility Study of Aerial Ropeway Transit in the Holy City of Makkah
  Abstract: The number of visitors and pilgrims to the Holy City of Makkah is expected to increase to unprecedented levels in the near future. The planning and implementation of a multimodal transportation system in Makkah to handle these huge volumes is not a straightforward mission, as Makkah poses numerous challenges including its unique seasonal demand patterns, mountainous terrain and limited space, to name a few. Aerial Ropeway Transit (ART), a promising technology solution to some of the modern-day transportation problems, could be an important component of the overall multi-modal transportation system of the City of Makkah. This paper presents the results of a technical and economic feasibility study to explore the potential of introducing ART service in Makkah. The study revealed that, overall, ART service on some corridors in Makkah is technically feasible, and with some necessary enforcement measures to attract ridership, can be a very profitable transportation investment. Specifically, the study recommends using ART for special user groups and service/emergency crews during peak seasons and opening ART to the public as a premium service during the off-peak season.
  Authors: Alshalalfah, Baha; Shalaby, Amer; Dale, Steven; Othman, Fadel M. Y.
  Authors: Alshalalfah, Baha; Shalaby, Amer; Dale, Steven; Othman, Fadel M. Y.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation
  Session: 346
  Paper Number: 13-2577
• Changes in Access to Public Transportation for Cycle-Transit Users in Response to Service Reductions
  Abstract: Transit agencies around the country have made significant investments since the late 1990s to coordinate bicycling and public transit services. The purpose is to increase transit ridership by extending the geographic area from which riders can easily and quickly reach transit stops and stations. While it is widely hypothesized that being able to travel on transit vehicles with bicycles, allows riders to access transit stops and stations from a larger geographic area, the empirical evidence of this is scanty. Information available for Northeast Ohio, where the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) operates rail, bus and demand response transit, presents an opportunity to address an important aspect of this issue. The availability of detailed long-term bicycle-on-bus boardings (BoBBs) data and the implementation of a series of service reductions in 2008, 2009 and 2010 offer an opportunity to ask the question: Do significant changes in geographic access to transit services result in significant changes to the numbers of cycle-transit users accessing GCRTA buses? The evidence from GCRTA’s service area does not support this conclusion, but it does indicate that the rates of utilization of bus bicycle racks is increasing over time, that even in poor weather conditions significant numbers of transit riders travel with their bicycles, and that questions about the conditions, value, and opportunities of cycle-transit coordination remain important for transit users and planners.
  Authors: Flamm, Bradley; Sutula, Kay M.; Meenar, Mahbubur R.
  Authors: Flamm, Bradley; Sutula, Kay M.; Meenar, Mahbubur R.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation
  Session: 346
  Paper Number: 13-4132
• Statistical Approximation Model for Estimation of Catchment Areas of Park-and-Ride Systems
  Abstract: This paper develops statistical approximations to estimate the catchment area of a Park-and-Ride site. To this effect, the paper uses the analytical formulations previously developed by the authors to compute the catchment areas for a set of experimental conditions. The data assembled in this manner is then used to estimate the statistical approximations. Using the resulting models, the paper conducts sensitivity analyses to assess the effects of design parameters that determine level of service; such as transit travel speeds, transfer time, and the location of the Park-and-Ride. The results indicate that, in equality of conditions, reducing transfer times has a larger impact in the catchment area than increasing transit speeds in the transit corridor.
  Authors: Holguín-Veras, Jose; Aros-Vera, Felipe; Yushimito, Wilfredo Fernando; Gonzalez-Calderon, Carlos Alberto
  Authors: Holguín-Veras, Jose; Aros-Vera, Felipe; Yushimito, Wilfredo Fernando; Gonzalez-Calderon, Carlos Alberto
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation
  Session: 346
  Paper Number: 13-4558
• Factors Determining Transit Access by Car Owners: Implications for Intermodal Passenger Transportation Planning
  Abstract: Although walking is the dominant mode of transportation to transit facilities, there are strong variations by socio-demographics, geography, mode of public transit used and other factors. There is particularly a need to understand ways in which car owners who choose to use public transportation can be encouraged to carpool, walk or bicycle in the “first mile” and “last mile” of the transit trip, instead of driving. These considerations have implications for addressing cold start trips resulting from short drives to transit facilities, active transportation strategies that may benefit transit users who currently drive, and in deriving solutions for shared transportation such as bicycle-sharing and car-sharing programs. Using data collected in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, we investigate how the mode choice for the access trip to transit stations is related to costs, personal and household variables, trip characteristics, and neighborhood factors including crash frequencies, crime prevalence, neighborhood racial characteristics, population density, roadway density etc. for persons in car owning households. The results suggest that while much of the choice depends on personal and trip related variables, some neighborhood level factors as well as the provision of parking at transit stations have important relationships to mode choice that can influence built environment factors such as density and policy areas such as the provision and operation of transit parking facilities.
  Authors: Tilahun, Nebiyou Yonas; Thakuriah, Piyushimita (Vonu); Keita, Yaye
  Authors: Tilahun, Nebiyou Yonas; Thakuriah, Piyushimita (Vonu); Keita, Yaye
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation
  Session: 346
  Paper Number: 13-5085
• Feasibility Study of Aerial Ropeway Transit in the Holy City of Makkah
  Authors: Alshalalfah, Baha
  Authors: Alshalalfah, Baha
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation
  Session: 346
  Paper Number: 13-2577
• Changes in Access to Public Transportation for Cycle-Transit Users in Response to Service Reductions
  Authors: Flamm, Bradley
  Authors: Flamm, Bradley
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation
  Session: 346
  Paper Number: 13-4132