Aerial ropeway transit (ART) systems are emerging alternatives to augment existing transit systems in congested cities in the Global South, especially in urban areas with limited transit coverage because of road width constraints or topography. Integration of aerial cable car stations to an existing transit network can improve the overall accessibility of various population segments with significant positive benefits in relation to reducing transport-related social exclusion. This study evaluated the impact of introducing ART in the city of Varanasi (India) and assessed the spatial accessibility improvements to critical facility locations such as heritage sites, educational institutions, hospitals, and employment centers. Several multimodal transit expansion scenarios were considered in this study and the potential benefits of each case were quantified using the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method. A multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach was subsequently employed for identifying the optimal locations of ART stops. Microlevel analysis findings suggest that the mean accessibility values could increase up to 10.92% in the first phase of the ART implementation, which could subsequently increase to 24.7% and 49.8% for the subsequent transit expansion scenarios. The study also investigated the Varanasi ART DPR prepared by Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) and showed that a significant increase of 16% in accessibility levels could be achieved if optimal stop locations identified in this study were implemented. The proposed two-step (2SFCA+MCDM) method for identifying the optimal locations of ART stations in a multimodal transit network is expected to be an effective tool for transit system redesign using place-based accessibility measures.


    Access

    Download

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Enhancing Urban Mobility with Aerial Ropeway Transit (ART): Future Accessibility Impacts of Multimodal Transit Expansion Scenarios


    Additional title:

    Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2024-10-10




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Feasibility study of aerial ropeway transit in the Holy City of Makkah

    Alshalalfah, Baha’ W. / Shalaby, Amer S. / Dale, Steven et al. | Taylor & Francis Verlag | 2015



    Modeling of an Urban Ropeway Integrated into a Crowded Transit System

    Hofer, Karl / Haberl, Michael / Fellendorf, Martin | Transportation Research Record | 2023


    Integration of an Urban Ropeway into Munich’s Transit System Demand Modeling

    Tiessler, Michaela / Engelhardt, Roman / Bogenberger, Klaus et al. | Transportation Research Record | 2019


    AERIAL ROPEWAY

    DYUR GERD | European Patent Office | 2018

    Free access