Citation

Mueller JD, Hunter-Zaworski K. Transp. Res. Rec. 2014; 2448: 21-27.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.3141/2448-03

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Interest in improving and adding intercity passenger rail service is growing in the United States and the rest of the world. Passenger rail development is complex and includes many factors including how well it is integrated into cities. Transportation trends in the United States show that more people are choosing alternative transportation options and that auto ownership is declining. The development of new rail systems and improvement of existing systems need to consider all users, including those who access stations with alternative transportation such as bicycles. An analysis approach is proposed to compare how well rail stations allow access to bicycles by studying their connectivity to low-stress bicycle links and how well they allow access to workplaces and residences. The approach is demonstrated with a case study in Salem, Oregon. This city is on Amtrak's Cascades Corridor and is currently undergoing an environmental impact study for improved service. The existing station and two alternative station locations are analyzed. The results indicate that the two stations located adjacent to downtown provide superior bicycle connectivity to workplaces and residences compared with the station located near the airport.