Abstract

During the pandemic, California’s four major rail systems— Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT), and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro)—experienced an average ridership decline of 72 percent between 2019 and 2021. BART had the greatest decrease (87 percent) and MTS the lowest (47 percent). However, ridership changes varied significantly across individual stations, with stations located in the central business district or at the end of lines having the highest ridership losses. Land use, development density, and the pedestrian environment are strongly associated with station-level transit ridership. This brief examines how these characteristics affect transit ridership pre- and post-COVID and how they differ across station types based on longitudinal data collected between 2019 and 2021 for 242 rail stations belonging to BART, MTS, SacRT, and LA Metro.

Abstract

More systematic coordination between transportation and housing development is increasingly recognized as a promising strategy for creating more sustainable communities. One approach is to encourage higher density affordable housing developments near transit or in similarly transportation-efficient areas, such as locations with low vehicle miles traveled (VMT). However, little is known about how transportation access should be considered in guiding housing development, what challenges can arise from coordinating housing development with transportation, and what the state can do to better deal with these challenges and achieve more equitable residential densification.

This brief examines equity issues and other challenges that may arise in pursuing transportation-informed housing development. Specifically, it touches on the potential impacts of Senate Bill 743, which made it easier to build more housing in low VMT locations by shifting the way traffic impacts from new housing development are evaluated under the California Environmental Quality Act. It also explores ways to achieve more inclusive development in non-rail transit areas which have received less attention compared to rail transit areas.