Abstract:
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In recent years the problem of traffic congestion is spreading in many large urban
areas. According to the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI, 2009), the average American
driver lost 36 hours in 2007 sitting in congestion, wasting an average of 24 gallons of fuel.
The average losses per driver in cities where the population exceeded one million were
25% higher. These costs were quantified into a national productivity loss of $87.2 billion, a
four-fold increase (in 2007 dollars) from 1982. Although the recent economic downturn
has only delayed congestion growth, once the economy recovers, congestion once again
will be on the rise.
Traditionally to reduce the impacts of traffic congestion over the past decades,
governments are introducing policies that favour the rational use of private vehicles and
prioritize public transport (push & pull). Among several attempts of mobility policies that
have been implemented, park and ride has shown outstanding performance especially
within European Union nations. By offering new efficient facilities and improving the level
of service of public transport passengers are aiming to increase accessibility and decrease
the usage of private vehicles, postulating as performances of great success, as his
experience in different European cities tested.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of Catalonia (ATM) has wagered on these
systems with the objective of deterring the daily traffic congestion produced on the
highways of Catalonia, especially in corridors towards Barcelona. To date, the
Metropolitan Region of Barcelona numbers 14.114 parking spaces which are spread over
98 railway stations. The objective of this study is to address the potential improvements of
an existing Park & Ride facility located in Mollet Sant Fost. The strategic role of this
station, which is located between the highways AP-7, C-59, C-33 and C-17 with the
required improvements could attract up to 55.000 new users of the rail network from
neighbouring cities.
To evaluate the impacts of the current study, it was build a traffic model of the
Metropolitan Region of Barcelona. This will help to analyse the existing users’ equilibrium
of their daily displacements. Based on a Multinomial Logit demand model, it will be
analysed the number of rail passengers attracted by designing these facilities following the
implementation of various actions that potentializing their use. |