01332887

Component

Recent initiatives aimed at reducing the impacts of vehicle traffic have developed new options for sustainable transport in and around national parks. More recently, there has been a revived interest in the nation’s long-neglected intercity passenger rail system. However, very little recent research has been done on the potential linkages between the two, a connection which would provide additional opportunities for sustainable access to national parks. This paper examines the synergy between intercity passenger rail and sustainable park access. Currently, more than half of national parks in the Lower 48 are within 80 miles of passenger rail service. Proposed rail services or expansions of existing routes are expected to improve accessibility in the coming decades. Case studies of improving accessibility through the use of local transportation partners are provided, demonstrating the range of possible options for providing a seamless connection between the rail station and the park. A comprehensive research agenda designed to better understand the potential linkages is proposed.

01329018

11-2760

English

14p

2011

Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting

DVD

Maps (1) ; References (24) ; Tables (2)

Accessibility; Intercity transportation; National parks; Passenger transportation; Railroad traffic; Railroad transportation; Sustainable transportation; Traffic flow

United States

Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2011 Paper #11-2760

TRIS, TRB

Feb 17 2011 6:17PM