Third Minsk metro line assessment

Transportation investments assessment: third Minsk metro line.

Several large-scale transportation projects are currently being considered or constructed in Minsk. The most significant of these is the third line of the Minsk metro. In Belarus, authorities do not evaluate important infrastructure projects publicly, they do not apply an interdisciplinary approach, and impact analyses are often limited to indicators that do not fully reflect the consequences of any new development.

General scheme for metro and tram transportation development in Minsk

We propose to supplement the generally accepted analysis methods with a multivariate analysis, that covers a wider range of alternative scenarios. The bottom line is to assess the change in accessibility (the number of ways a destination can be reached) for the entire city, and not only record the passenger flow of the new metro line, which is critically important in a large city like Minsk.

Spatial analysis in the city requires an assessment of distances within the urban landscape and the public transport system, meaning we need an integrated model. This is not an easy task, but its implementation allows us to explore the city as it is lived and seen by its citizens.

Third metro line assessment

Accessibility gains after third metro line completion in Minsk

The map shows the predicted gain in time accessibility for each destination in the city (Google maps points of interest, PoI) after completion of the third Minsk metro line.

A positive effect is clearly visible throughout the city, although the central section remains unchanged. Most gains can be observed in the places for which the rest of the city was the least accessible and residents in those areas either did not make some trips by metro or had to make them by car.

Destinations accessibility clustering before completion of the third metro line in Minsk

Destinations accessibility clustering after completion of the third metro line in Minsk

Construction of the third Minsk metro line will radically change the mutual accessibility of points that attract people throughout the city. For citizens, this means a significant reduction in travel time when making multi-stop trips through and around the urban area.

This metro expansion will make it easier to combine work and shopping, provide access to a wider range of new services, and help expand choices among similar services. For some, this relatively small gain in time will make it possible for commuters to start going to the gym or spend more time with their families.

A project by: Eugene Kalinouski (link)