Quantifying the benefits of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure for transit users is challenging due to the indirect and often dispersed nature of these impacts. While it is well recognized that active transportation investments can improve access to transit, enhance first- and last-mile connectivity, and support public health, these benefits are difficult to measure within traditional transportation evaluation frameworks. When infrastructure for different modes—such as bikes and buses or pedestrians and ferries—is collocated, it can generate synergistic advantages that improve the effectiveness of both. Recognizing the potential of these multimodal benefits, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is seeking a method to quantify them and incorporate this information into its project prioritization process.
This research aims to provide NCDOT with a framework for evaluating the benefits of collocated infrastructure, with a specific focus on Economic Competitiveness and Development, Mobility and Connectivity, and Community Health. The central product of this effort is a sandbox tool that quantifies the benefits of collocating bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure with transit and ferry systems. Built on a geospatial framework, the tool allows for the evaluation of every transit and ferry corridor in North Carolina, identifying opportunities where modes intersect and providing replicable assessments. Ultimately, the project lays the foundation for incorporating these multimodal benefits into decision-making, enabling NCDOT to pursue more strategic, high-impact transportation investments.
