Major and Classification
Civil Engineering
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Kelly Sanders
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Gateway Project
“Metro Gold Line Accessibility and the Influence of the Built Environment”
Project Abstract
Extreme urban gridlock and environmental concerns in Los Angeles County has prompted massive rail devilment projects in recent decades. The sprawling character of Los Angeles and other like cities presents the demand to interpret the behavior of rail infrastructure in car centric metropolitan areas. This study aims to better understand the relationship between previously existing built environments and rail transit accessibility by examining six train stations on the Metro Gold Line and their surrounding context. Utilizing station station context evaluation and descriptive analysis of pedestrian trips obtained through questionnaires, intermodal transit support systems, and rail station locations significantly influenced pedestrian travel patterns. Rail users with futher access distance were associated with less frequent use of rail transit and walking as a means of access was most frequently used by survey participants. Qualitative analysis relating to rail transit convenience revealed that availability of destinations and connectivity of bus transit were the most important factors contributing to ride3ship. Implications of this study present estimates of metro service areas and suggest further investigation into smart expansion and transit oriented development.