Transit Accessibility Changes

The same analysis for reaching jobs via public transit shows strikingly different patterns. When changing transit travel times alone, locations in Minneapolis see both gains and losses in job access, with most falling between a loss of −18,000 and a gain of +13,000 (Figure 2.3, “Travel Time Change”). Average job access for Minneapolis workers decreases by −2.5%. When changing job locations alone, access changes for Minneapolis locations range from a loss of −4,000 to a gain of +7,000 (Figure 2.3, “Land Use Change”), and average job access increases by +2.0%.

The variability of access change from block to block is much greater in transit than auto, with significant gains and losses both observable in the same year. In contrast to auto access decomposition, the travel time change corresponds much more closely to the total change, indicating the importance of travel times, which in turn reflect the scheduled frequency and speed of transit service (accessibility via transit is measured using the published schedule in this analysis). The location of land use change, especially its coordination with transit stations and stops, also explains the variability in year-to-year differences.