Access to Transit

The Access to Transit indicator measures the percent of residential parcels in Champaign-Urbana that are within one half mile and within one quarter mile of a CU-MTD bus stop. The half mile and quarter mile are used here as representations of reasonable walking distance to transit.

All CU-MTD stops were counted, regardless of route or direction. The access analysis was performed using linear distance, rather than distance along a street network, so access in some areas may be limited by characteristics of the street network (e.g., form, lack or condition of sidewalks) or major barriers (e.g., highways and other wide roads that are difficult or dangerous to cross).

Taking into account the limitations of the linear distance methodology, as of the analysis performed in June 2021, Champaign-Urbana residents have, for the most part, excellent access to transit: 97.38 percent of the residential area is within one quarter mile of a bus stop, and 99.80 percent of the residential area is within one half mile of a bus stop.

Access to transit is key to economic, social, and quality of life opportunities. Public transit allows individuals to commute to and from jobs, run errands, shop, visit local amenities, and participate in social activities without needing a personal vehicle, which can be financially and/or logistically out of reach for some households and residents.

The percentage analysis was performed in GIS using map layers from the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) and Champaign County GIS Consortium (CCGISC). The analysis will be done on an annual basis, to account for any changes in both transit stops and residential areas.