Anderson Webber

Rail transit technology, such as underground metro systems and light rail have become the most popular transit investment for medium and large cities. The planning of such transit systems, however, has evolved into a highly complex decision process, placing pressure on planners to update their toolkits. The purpose of this paper is to explore a novel approach to the rail transit network design problem using least-cost path analysis (LCP), a method with recognized success in planning other linear infrastructure. Building on prior LCP research, the workflow proposed incorporates Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) to support collaboration between stakeholders and is tested practical by producing and comparing an alternative route to the proposed Ontario Line (OL) in Toronto, Canada. In the second phase of the analysis, the sensitivity of the model is assessed with a Sensitivity Analysis (SA) to examine how the outputted line deviates in response to changes in input weights determined by MCA. Results from the analysis found success in the methodology, forming a suitable alternative to the Ontario Line while overcoming some of the documented limitations within current solutions, however, two considerations were established. First, a segmented approach to the problem is proposed, which may be necessary to capture the complex transit service and connection goals of a line proposal. Second, due to material sensitivity found in the model, input parameters regarding criteria should be made with care and by relevant stakeholders.