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Appendix M. Regional Transit Standards Transit Market Areas While several factors Influence the propensity to use transit, the primary predictors of transit productivity are density of origination and destination. There are four categories of transit markets in the metropolitan area. Transit markets in the Twin Cities are identified using four primary criteria: 1) population density, 2) employment concentration and job density, 3) trip volumes and patterns, and 4) transit dependent segments of the population. Different types and levels of transit services should be used for each transit market area. The region has four distinct market areas. Transit Market Area I has the highest density of population and employment, and is able to effectively support frequent regular route transit service. Because this is the most productive transit service area in the region, it should also be the area that receives a prioritized investment of transit resources. Transit Market Area Area Characteristics Area I Population Density = 15 or more persons/acre (or) Job Density = 50 or more 'obs/acre and 101000 more contiguous 'obs Area II Population Density = 9 to 14.9 persons/acre augmented by contiguous High Transit Del2endency areas Area III Population Density = 5 to 8.9 persons/acre (excluding isolated pockets) augmented by: (a) Contiguous areas with Job Density = 10 to 49 jobs/acre and 3,000 or more contiguous jobs Or (b) Contiguous areas with Major Travel destinations: 50 or more non -home bound trips/acre Area IV Population Density less than 5persons/acre Pockets Areas meeting at least one of the following: I . Population Density = more than 5 persons/acre (isolated pockets only) I Job Density = 10 to 49 jobs/acre and 3,000 or more contiguous jobs (isolated pockets only) 3. Major Travel destinations: 50 or more non -home bound trips/acre (isolated pockets only) 4. High Transit Dependency areas (isolated pockets onI Transit Market Area H has high to moderate population and employment densities yielding a market area that is conducive to regular route operations and also other forms of transit service delivery. The lower population and employment densities of Transit Market Areas 111, IV, and Pocket areas increase the complexity and challenge of matching transit service to transit need. Due to the lower concentrated demand, it becomes more difficult to provide efficient transit service at reasonable costs in these areas. In the longer term to meet transit needs in suburban and rural settings, we need to promote the right type of land use and development densities that can sustain transit operations. T-9