Project Summary
This research will support analysis of data collected in California’s first experimental-control, before-and-after evaluation of a major light rail transit (LRT) investment, the Exposition (Expo) line from downtown to the westside of Los Angeles. The region’s ambitious LRT construction campaign will support Senate Bill SB375 goals for greater integration of transportation and land use planning, but we know little about whether and to what degree new LRT is associated with reduced private vehicle travel and increased transit usage. In Fall 2011, we collected geographically detailed 7-day travel data for 285 households along the corridor using daily trip and vehicle odometer logs and supplemental GPS-based location tracking. We will collect comparable “after” data for the same households in Fall 2012 after the Expo line service begins in Spring 2012. The current proposal will support data coding, processing, and analysis and will inform transit planning and community development by (1) assessing the impact of Expo service on nearby private vehicle travel, transit ridership, and physical activity, (2) identifying neighborhood factors which could enhance the potential positive effects of transit proximity on bus ridership and walking, and (3) demonstrating methods for evaluating the sustainability, travel, and community impacts of major transportation projects.