%0 Thesis
%A Bogrow, Hanna
%T Sustainable Mobility in Metro-Detroit: A BRT Proposal
%D 2022
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/74036
%X City infrastructure and mobility culture in the U.S. have been heavily influenced by the invention of the automobile, a clear case in the city of Detroit. Once considered the ‘Motor City Capital’, its own paradoxical rise and demise can both be attributed to the stronghold the automobile industry had on government, the economy, and U.S. culture, and whose interests spurred the decentralization of cities, a deeply rooted and lasting car culture, and the elimination of public transportation in Detroit and across the U.S.As such, the following study introduces a contextually relevant review of mobility in the U.S., mobility in Detroit, and current public transit in Detroit, serving to make a case for, as well as inform and guide, its objectives and methodology. Elaborating on the consequential lack of public transit infrastructure, the analysis suggests the introduction of transit oriented development (TOD) and smart mobility strategies for public transportation in the form of a proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Metro Detroit.Using a GIS-based approach with ArcGIS Pro, the methodology includes: building a network dataset from which to simulate mobility in Metro Detroit, determining and weighing various influences of demand for public transit to inform placement of BRT routes and stops, and running Location-Allocation and Service Area modeling across various proposed BRT scenarios. Then, comparing resulting scenarios via metrics of weighted demand, weighted distance, and accessibility, an optimal BRT scenario is suggested. The study then concludes by commenting on the broader implications of BRT implementation, the matrixed approach to BRT decision-making, the role of transit-oriented development in satisfying BRT criteria, as well as additional limitations and areas for further analysis.
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