Assessment of Transit Ridership: Increased Suburban to Urban Public Transportation Options in Houston, Texas

摘要

Suburban development is occurring near urban areas across America. Often these communities are separated by large masses of land with no linkage to the urban core. Referred to as urban sprawl, this type of development causes a challenge for transportation planners in providing adequate public transportation services to suburban communities. This research applied a transit needs index to assess whether there might be demand for public transportation options between selected Houston suburban counties and the urban core. The research found that several neighborhoods within three selected suburban counties received a high rating on the index and are good candidates for public transportation.