Developing new urban rail transport in mid-sized cities –a case study of Rzeszow, Poland

• Autorzy: Drabicki Arkadiusz , Chwastek Konrad , Baj Dominika , Szarata Andrzej

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.20858/tp.2025.20.2.15

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The “renaissance” of urban rail transport as a means of efficient and sustainable urban mobility systems is an increasingly popular theme in mid-sized cities. However, such cities often grapple with the uncertainty of new public transport (PT) modes’ effectiveness, which requires proper analytical underpinning. In this study, we assess the implications of introducing a new light rail (LRT) vs. heavy rail (HRT) transport solution in the case study city of Rzeszow, Poland, using transport simulation and accessibility models. The results reveal a more advantageous performance of an LRT-based tram system, whose benefits are enhanced by reduced road capacity in the city center and long-term shifts in mobility behavior. Ultimately, the PT capacity utilization with LRT improved by 12%, PT modal share rose from 28% to 35%, and inner-city car traffic loads declined by 20%. Our findings reaffirm that in concentric, mid-sized cities such as Rzeszow, urban rail transport should be based on a high coverage, high-frequency LRT (e.g., tram) mode, which can form an effective backbone of the city PT system. Our study contributes to research on how new urban rail systems can help reverse the decline of PT ridership and facilitate the sustainable urban (re)development of midsized cities.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

public transport; transport modelling; urban rail; LRT; HRT; tram; Rzeszow

PL

transport publiczny; modelowanie transportu; kolej miejska; LRT; HRT; tramwaj; Rzeszów

• Wydawca: Wydawnictwo Politechniki Śląskiej
• Czasopismo: Transport Problems
• Rocznik: 2025
• Tom: T. 20, z. 2
• Strony: 183--196
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 32 poz.

Twórcy

autor

Drabicki Arkadiusz

• Technical University of Munich; Arcisstrasse 21, 80333 Munich, Germany

• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8191-6886

autor

Chwastek Konrad

• Cracow University of Technology; Warszawska 24, 31-155 Krakow, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8277-9446

autor

Baj Dominika

• Cracow University of Technology; Warszawska 24, 31-155 Krakow, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3866-4912

autor

Szarata Andrzej

• Cracow University of Technology; Warszawska 24, 31-155 Krakow, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0057-3023

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