Abstract: The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) is tasked with providing safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible transport options, specifically by developing infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. In 2021, New York City will implement a toll fee for vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street in a bid to decongest the city’s central business district. Global examples have shown various road pricing schemes are successful in encouraging modal shifts from driving into mass transit.
In anticipation of this shift, DOT engaged the Capstone team to identify specific subway stations possessing the highest likelihood for additional users as a result of congestion pricing. The Capstone team analyzed available data sets for factors such as commuting behavior, travel time to the congestion zone, station accessibility, and income to determine which stations were likely to see an increase in users. Utilizing existing safety data and high-risk roadway features within the walk- and bike-sheds of these stations, the team provided DOT with priority areas for infrastructure investments aimed at supporting and enticing travel to these stations.
The team’s research culminated in a report that identifies the most significant variables influencing mode shift, a list of top target stations, and recommendations for infrastructure within station catchments areas that will facilitate shifting modes due to congestion pricing.
