University of Twente Student Theses
The optimal Waterlinie Tram Route in Utrecht : Viewed from an accessibility perspective
Groeneveld, E. (2023) The optimal Waterlinie Tram Route in Utrecht : Viewed from an accessibility perspective.
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| Abstract: | The population of the municipality of Utrecht is expected to grow from 359.000 in 2021 to 478.000 inhabitants in 2040. This will result in increased traffic numbers and potentially congest the already stressed transport system. Part of the corresponding travel increase can be solved by adding an extra tram line (the Waterlinie line) to the current tram network that runs between Nieuwegein and IJsselstein in the South of Utrecht, via Utrecht Central Station, to Utrecht Science Park in the East. The new tram line aims to relieve pressure from Utrecht Central Station and increase accessibility both on a local and regional level. The objective for this report is to analyse the optimal tram route and tram stop locations, as well as the effects on accessibility in Utrecht when adding this new Waterlinie tram line. Initially, various alternatives are proposed, which are then narrowed down to two alternatives via a multi criteria analysis. The number of tram stops for these alternatives are derived from the supply and demand of inhabitants and jobs in the vicinity among other requirements. This resulted in alternatives are via the ‘t Goylaan with 4 tram stops, via the A12/A27 with two stops and via the A12/A27 without tram stops. The accessibility of the three alternatives is compared with the current situation in ArcGIS. Accessibility is calculated as the zonal potential accessibility, as well as the location-based potential accessibility with competition effects. The job accessibility within the three alternatives is compared with the current situation using a spatial multi-modal transport network in ArcGIS. Accessibility is calculated as the zonal potential accessibility, as well as the location-based potential accessibility with competition effects from other inhabitants. The results of this comparison has not clearly led to an overall best. Each of these three alternatives have their own advantages and disadvantages. The ‘t Goylaan alternative is most suitable for adding local public transport travel possibilities. The A12/A27 alternative without tram stops option is best suited for improving rapid public transport between Nieuwegein/IJsselstein and Science Park. The A12/A27 alternative with two stops combines both advantages, although limited compared to the other two alternatives. A number of limitations have been identified within this research, as several input data was incomplete. The conducted research can be applicable for policy makers at the Province of Utrecht and used as a base for further Waterlinie tram line analysis. For practical application, economic aspects should also be evaluated in future studies regarding the Waterlinie line. As a general conclusion, the ‘t Goylaan option is best suited for up to 30 minute commutes and the A12/A27 options are better suited for longer (30 to 60 minute) commutes. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | ET: Engineering Technology |
| Programme: | Civil Engineering BSc (56952) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/97582 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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