Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Measuring Social Vulnerability In Transit Deserts Of United States Metro Areas, Junfeng Jiao, Josh Conrad, Amin Azimian

International Journal of Geospatial and Environmental Research

This study was aimed at identifying areas in the US that need both transit improvements and anti-displacement protection. First, rather than focusing on transit-dependent populations, we developed a new method of accounting for overall transportation demand among independent residents in comparison with public transit supply. Next, we analyzed transit deserts in metro areas using the social vulnerability index. Results indicated that living in transit deserts across 200 metro areas today are approximately 24.6 million people, of which about 19% live below the poverty line. Additionally, residents of transit deserts exhibit, on average, a social vulnerability that is approximately 21% higher …