Performance-Based Methodology for Evaluating Equity for Transportation System Users

Planning for equitable outcomes in transportation requires the development of evaluation methods that support the integration of equity in planning processes. This paper presents a methodology for equity evaluation that addresses limitations in current practices by analyzing transportation system outcomes regionally for the full range of demographic groups over time to incorporate the results into performance-based planning processes. This work applied current equity evaluations and a proposed methodology to a case study of the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan region. The results illustrate the current methodological limitations and provide an application of the proposed method that shows its ability to address the limitations. The proposed methodology is a comprehensive approach to analyze and characterize transportation system impacts that can be incorporated into performance-based transportation planning at the regional level to improve equity of transportation outcomes.