Identifying bus stop redundancy: A gis-based spatial optimization approach

Transit planners are often faced with a tradeoff between improving accessibility through the addition of stops while simultaneously increasing efficiency so that destinations can be reached in a reasonable amount of time. In this paper, we propose the development of an optimization framework integrated within a Geographical Information System (GIS) for addressing this specific problem. Our proposed modeling framework departs from well-known facility location coverage models by considering both the impact of walking distance from an individual residential location to a stop and the transit facility attractiveness (ease to cross, number of destinations served). Integration within a GIS environment is accomplished using a simulated annealing heuristic. An example on an inbound urban bus route illustrates the utility of the approach for transit planning, using model parameters developed in collaboration with local transit agencies. Published by Elsevier Ltd.