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Mass Transit Stop and Route Inventory and Mapping: Development and Refinement of a Protocol

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  • Mills, Jackson

Abstract

This report details the process of geospatially mapping every heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit expansion in the United States from the years 2000 to 2024. We outline the protocol that was developed for this project and explain the steps that were taken to produce route and stop shapefiles for 148 transit openings and extensions. We address some of the challenges we encountered. We also produce a series of visualizations to illustrate trends in the geographic and modal distribution of transit projects in the United States over the last 25 years. In mapping these expansions, we hope to provide researchers with the requisite information to be able to conduct a wide range of studies that examine multiple types of effects associated with public transit on a wider scale. Such analysis could be conducted on a transit line- or stop-based level, which are the two shapefiles produced for each transit extension in this project. The shapefiles could be modified with catchment areas to examine a transit system’s impact within a specified geographic area around the transit line or stop(s). Temporally, researchers could analyze the effects of transit expansion on various co-benefits by comparing outcomes before and after the extension opened. By providing the geospatial data, sourcing, and explanations for research practices used in this project, our work serves as a foundation for many types of studies that examine public transit-related outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Mills, Jackson, 2025. "Mass Transit Stop and Route Inventory and Mapping: Development and Refinement of a Protocol," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt1xz8s32t, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1xz8s32t
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    1. Nicolas Gendron-Carrier & Marco Gonzalez-Navarro & Stefano Polloni & Matthew A. Turner, 2022. "Subways and Urban Air Pollution," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 164-196, January.
    2. Hurst, Needham B. & West, Sarah E., 2014. "Public transit and urban redevelopment: The effect of light rail transit on land use in Minneapolis, Minnesota," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 57-72.
    3. Beaudoin, Justin & Farzin, Y. Hossein & Lin Lawell, C.-Y. Cynthia, 2015. "Public transit investment and sustainable transportation: A review of studies of transit's impact on traffic congestion and air quality," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 15-22.
    4. Li, Shanjun & Liu, Yanyan & Purevjav, Avralt-Od & Yang, Lin, 2019. "Does subway expansion improve air quality?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 213-235.
    5. repec:osf:socarx:5ka2g_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Delmelle, Elizabeth C., 2021. "Transit-Induced Gentrification and Displacement: The State of the Debate," SocArXiv 5ka2g, Center for Open Science.
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