Case Study:

Tren Urbano

Context

The San Juan metropolitan area of Puerto Rico encompasses a population of 1.3 million. A densely developed urban environment, high levels of congestion, limited opportunities for highway capacity expansion, and inadequate public transit service led the region to consider construction of a 12-mile "Tren Urbano" heavy-rail line. This project would provide high-speed, high-quality transit service connecting major employment, residential, and activity centers in the region (Figure 2).

Figure 2. San Juan Metropolitan Region

Source: Zhang, Shen, and Sussman (1998).

The San Juan Metropolitan Region has a radial road framework with jobs highly concentrated at the core. Population is more highly concentrated in the central area than in a typical U.S. city. The level of automobile ownership in San Juan is relatively high, but for those without cars, two general transit alternatives are available: buses and Publicos (Publicos are private, fixed-route, shared-ride car, minibus, or van services). The service patterns of each service vary. Public bus service is primarily concentrated in a north-south corridor of higher density in the city of San Juan and neighboring areas. Publico service is somewhat more dispersed as a result of its demand-responsive nature; there are Publico terminals in different locations and a more east-west pattern of service is visible. The Tren Urbano rail system would run primarily east-west, turning to the north at its east end to serve the highest-density corridor in the region.

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