Ohio State researchers find rapid transit bus systems improve property values

A map of the bus rapid transit systems featured in the study, categorized by the extent to which they featured a dedicated lane for buses. Credit: Courtesy of Blake Acton and Harvey Miller

Ohio State researchers found that bus rapid transit systems helped to improve property values in several American cities, including Cleveland. 

The study, published in the Journal of Transport Geography, analyzed 11 bus rapid transit  systems in 10 cities across the U.S. According to the study, multi-family properties, such as townhouses and condos, were positively impacted by their proximity to a bus rapid transit system.  

Bus rapid transit systems differ from traditional bus services by delivering more efficient service with features such as dedicated bus lanes, traffic signal priority, increased service frequency, off-board fare collection and enhanced stations, according to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.  

Blake Acton, an Ohio State alumnus and lead author of the study when he was a graduate student, said of the 10 cities observed, property values increased the most in Cleveland.

“Cleveland is a great model that demonstrates that it’s possible to build good BRT in the United States that has an impact on nearby transit-oriented development,” Acton said. “If Cleveland can do it, I would say that so could Columbus, so could Cincinnati, so could other peer cities.”

Acton said overall property value along Cleveland’s HealthLine bus rapid transit system rose 14.8 percent since the route was added in 2008, and multi-family properties rose 41.5 percent in value relative to similar properties in the city. She said there was a greater impact on the value of multi-family residences, where people are more likely to walk or use public transportation, rather than single-family dwellings, where people are more likely to use cars to travel.

The research coincides with the city of Columbus’ plan to invest in its own bus rapid transit system modeled on Cleveland’s HealthLine route as part of the LinkUS transportation initiative, according to the program’s website. LinkUS would add a bus rapid transit route linking downtown Columbus with the northwestern side, as well as managing traffic congestion, supporting businesses and providing access to housing.  

Harvey Miller, professor of geography at Ohio State and co-author of the study, said the system is a low-cost alternative to light rail transit for cities that lack the resources to build rail infrastructure.  

“The idea is that we try to replicate the experience and performance of a light rail system,” Miller said. “But because we use bus technology, rather than rail technology, we can get it for half the cost of light rail.”  

Miller said many U.S. cities, including Columbus, have what is referred to as “BRT-lite” —  a high frequency bus service with bus rapid transit features but lacking a dedicated lane.  

Acton said the primary reason cities opt for BRT-lite systems over a full bus rapid transit system is the price.  

“BRT-lite, in some cases, is like five to 10 times cheaper than a full BRT,” Acton said. “And that’s because full BRT almost always, I would say 99 percent of the time, requires infrastructure investment.”  

Despite the cost, Miller said dedicated lanes were instrumental in increasing property value. He said he hopes the study will change how urban developers consider public transportation and the value of investing in full bus rapid transit system infrastructure.   

“A lot of Americans don’t view public transit as for them; it’s treated almost like a social service for the poor and not for everybody,” Miller said. “But it can have positive impacts on the type of development you want to see, which is multi-family development.”