Getting Around: A Case Study of InnerCity Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Mobility

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Getting Around A Case Study of Inner-City Los
Angeles Metropolitan Transit Mobility
Introduction A significant amount of the
population does not have access to private
transportation in the inner city, and must rely
upon public means. In all of Los Angeles County,
nearly 7 of the population reaches work by
public transport. Approximately 10 of the
Compton population reaches its place of work by
public transportation, and over 90 of both
groups by bus. It is worth examining just how
effective the Los Angeles MTA Bus system is at
getting people where they need to be.
Methods Census data was applied to the study area
to analyze population density. MTA Bus Route
shapefiles were then added along with a land use
file. Land use types were organized by color,
paying careful attention to housing Places of
Interest, or likely destinations for persons in
the area (schools, churches, markets, etc).
Buffer zones were calculated to one quarter of a
mile from any given bus route to assess
accessibility throughout the study area.
Area of Study The area of study is bounded by the
91 Freeway to the south, and the 110, 105, and
710 Interstates to the west, north, and east,
respectively. This area encompasses about 7
square miles and includes nearly all of Compton
City, as well as small portions of Rancho
Dominguez and Carson. The area was chosen due to
its clear boundaries and medium-to-high
population density (at the census block scale)
within most of the study area.
Conclusion The orange overlay shows quite clearly
that there are very few places in the study area
that are farther than a quarter of a mile from
any given MTA bus line. This study assumes that
bus stops are frequent, an assumption which the
MTA bus route chart itself confirms. Almost all
areas that are to be considered relatively
inaccessible contain no Places of Interest or
are nestled deep within a residential/housing
area. As seen in this study, public
transportation is quite widespread in reaching
the many areas of the city, and, operational
issues aside, is effective.
Acknowledgements Project and Poster Designed by
Nathan Albert California Polytechnic University,
Pomona GEO 443 Advanced GIS II Dr.
Wu Completed with the counsel of Dr. Wu This
project was completed to fulfill a course
requirement.
Bibliography www.census.gov www.scag.ca.gov www.es
ri.com geolab.bridgew.edu/home/
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Project Overview
Getting Around is a case study on the
effectiveness of the Metropolitan Transit
Authoritys bus lines in reaching its
constituency. The study area is analyzed through
the use of various GIS tools and resources to
allow the painting of a proper picture of
accessible and inaccessible areas, as defined by
a criterion of being within one-quarter mile
walking distance from any bus line. Through use
of a land use layer, we can further inspect if
the areas of inaccessibility are within or
without of identified Areas of Interest.
Acknowledgements Project and Poster Designed by
Nathan Albert California Polytechnic University,
Pomona GEO 443 Advanced GIS II Dr.
Wu Completed with the counsel of Dr. Wu This
project was completed to fulfill a course
requirement.
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Key Maps and Visual Elements
This map shows the population analysis of the
study area, which is bound by four large highways
or interstates. The study area was chosen for its
simplistic and easy to recognize location, as
well as the high density at the census block
scale.
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Key Maps and Visual Elements (Cont.)
After choosing the Places of Interest, a buffer
zone was created to allow for the use of the
Erase tool. This processed an overlay which was
then highlighted with orange hashing to expose
the areas of relative inaccessibility. The map
shows clearly that the bus lines do reach a large
amount of the study area, with very few zones of
inaccessibility falling within or near places of
interest.