Evaluation of a mass transit system: an investigation of potential impacts

As public awareness has grown about the problems of pollution, urban sprawl, the inner-city ghetto, and preservation of the environment, a cost-benefit analysis based primarily on time and dollar savings for commuters and improved property values appears simplistic. The impact of the BART system, or any similarly extensive mass transit system, will be felt in a variety of areas: social, economic, and environmental. The evaluation of BART and future mass transit systems should include an investigation into a wide range of factors. It is the purpose of this investigation to identify the potential impact of such a mass transit system on four areas of concern: economic, political, social, and environmental. An attempt will not be made to quantify these effects but rather to point out their extent and significance so that a subjective evaluation of them can be included in the evaluation process, both in measuring the worth of BART and in arriving at cost-benefit figures for future similar projects.