High Speed Rail Line Spatial Analysis and Visualization

About this Project

The Midwest High Speed Rail Association is a non-profit organization advocating for the development of quality rail transit linking the communities of the region. This project focused on the creation of a high speed rail link connecting Rockford, Chicago, and Kankakee. Urban GIS was tasked with providing maps and data about the location of the proposed line, demonstrat­ing how it would reduce congestion along expressways, improve mobility throughout the region, increase access to job opportunities, and connect regional resources.

Rather than performing a traditional tabular data analy­sis by zip code or county, GIS was used to create a five-mile buffer zone around the location of the proposed line. Next, population, transit, and consumer spending data was pulled for this zone. A similar technique was used with existing Metra lines to derive an average per­centage of the population currently using train transit. We applied this percentage to the population liv­ing in the buffer zone around the proposed line location to get an estimate of ridership for the new line. We also analyzed and visualized consumer spending data that was promising for high speed rail such as the percentage of the population that uses rail transporta­tion and the large retail base around the proposed line. The final analysis, consisting of maps, data, and other visualizations, combined into a comprehensive bro­chure that was provided to MHSR and other decision-makers—mayors, managers, and legislators—makes a strong case for the development of high speed rail.

The spatial analysis we performed gave mayors, managers, and other key decision-makers the data and visualizations needed to make informed arguments for the development of the Rockford-Kankakee line. Mayors along the proposed Rockford-Chicago leg took steps to make this high speed rail line become a reality.