10 WAYS IMPROVES TRANSIT

10 WAYS A R T IMPROVES TRANSIT
IMAGE CREDIT: EFE

IMAGE CREDIT: PEELLDEN
A R T ATTRACTS

1.
Art and design are powerful tools in attracting
riders; in Buenos Aires’ ridership doubled after
the infusion of art in their subway. 1 Enhancing
utilitarian transit environments with high-quality
and immersive artwork is proven to increase
ridership. 1 Studies of numerous art-in-transit
programs in Naples, Vancouver and New York
City reveal that people are willing to pay more,
endure longer wait times, and travel farther to
access aesthetically enhanced transit lines or
stations. 2 3 4
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IMAGE CREDIT: HEISE
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2.
Elevating space with art also sends a message
that the physical space and the people served by
the station are highly valued. 5 The effect is both
welcoming and comforting to riders and improves
riders feelings toward the service provider. 5 Art
in transit benefits transit patrons and providers:
improves perception of transit, improves customer
experience, deters vandalism, and increases safety
and security. 5
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IMAGE CREDIT: MY LOVE FOR PARIS

3.
Art in the transit corridors has multiple public
health benefits, including reducing stress and
social isolation, and improving understanding
among diverse populations. 6 7 8 By increasing
ridership, art promotes physical activity and has
long-term health benefits such as improving air
quality and increasing a community’s walkability.
9 10
Individuals who use public transportation get
over three times as much physical activity per day as
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those who don’t.
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IMAGE CREDIT: ELSA & VIVI
A R T CREATES

4.
Art-enhanced stations can serve as inviting
gateways into the neighborhoods they represent. 5
Through art integration, the station environment
can become a space to reveal and celebrate a
community’s uniqueness—empowering residents,
educating visitors, and inviting people to explore
and invest in the community.
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ACTIVATES
IMAGE CREDIT: THE STAR

5.
BART and Muni metro stations serve more than
169 million people annually —over 280 times
more people than are served by our region’s most
frequently visited museums. 13 Our underground
transit corridors—the region’s most densely
utilized public spaces—represent a tremendous
opportunity to engage broad spectrums of the
public in the arts. Improving a transit station by
adding artwork elevates the space and signals that
the space is highly valued. 5 Riders in turn respond
with greater respect for the transit environment
and their fellow passengers. 5
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IMPROVES
IMAGE CREDIT: SHELBYADELE

6.
The presence of art in a transit station is shown to
reduce crime and vandalism and increase safety. 5
People can perceive a station as dangerous due to
poor general appearance, low lighting levels or lack
of maintenance. 17 An increase in ridership means
there is more surveillance from other passengers
and a reduction in both fear and actual crime risk.
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Art in the transit corridor has been proven to
deter vandalism, increase feelings of safety and
decrease crime. 5 By bringing vibrancy to a public
space, art can improve the appearance and safety
of the transit facility. 16
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IMAGE CREDIT: FLICKR

7.
Art can elevate public transit stations into
welcoming, pleasurable and memorable
places that can also serve as gateways into the
neighborhoods they represent. 5 14 17 Art can
transform stations into cultural landmarks and
inspiring destinations that reveal and celebrate a
community’s uniqueness—empowering residents,
educating visitors and inviting people to explore
the community. 5 18 19 20 The transit network can
become a vibrant nexus connecting residents and
visitors to the diversity of neighborhoods that
define our region.
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IMAGE CREDIT: THE COMMUNICATION NETWORK

8.
Investment in the arts and cultural resources
of a community can support innovation and
economic growth and sustain neighborhoods by
stabilizing property values. 21 22 23 Station renewal
feeds neighborhood renewal; enhanced stations
not only attract riders, but also can stimulate
commerce in the surrounding neighborhood. 5
18 19
Public art has been shown to increase the
attractiveness of an area to businesses and skilled
professionals, making people more confident
about investing in that community. 24 Aesthetics
are also proven to influence local GDP.
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IMAGE CREDIT: PEELDEN

9.
Art makes mass transit a more attractive
alternative to driving, resulting in reduced
congestion on roadways, improved air quality, a
reduction in fuel consumption and lowering of the
emissions that cause ozone depletion and climate
change. 10 11 25 Transit-oriented development follows
as ridership grows, providing additional emission
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reductions.
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IMAGE CREDIT: RACHEL DINNO-TAYLOR

10.
An aesthetically pleasing environment puts riders
at ease. Art decreases riders’ feelings of stress
brought on by commuting and can also assist
riders in navigating confusing, often unfamiliar
subterranean territory. 5
W A Y F I N D I N G

REFERENCES
1. Transit Cooperative Research Program, sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration. Research Results Digest 96. Au
gust 2010. http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rrd_96.pdf
2. Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Urban Environmental Programs, Case Studies in Sustainable Transportation,
North America Case Study 95: Public Art and Design in Transit, November 2011. https://www.fcm.ca/Documents/
case-studies/GMF/Transport-Canada/PublicArtDesignTransit_EN.pdf
3. Cascetta, Ennio and Armando Carteni. The hedonic value of railway terminals. A quantitative analysis of the impact of
stations quality on traveler’s behavior. 2012. Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Universi
ty of Napoli Frederico II, Naples, Italy.
4. Seixas, Naomi. Does Art matter? Assessing the Social Value of Public Art in New York City’s Transit System. Tracing the
City: Interventions of Art and Public Space. Adapted for ‘Urban Encounters: Art and the Public’ from a demonstration of
professional competence submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science and Re
gional Planning, School of Architecture, Pratt Institute. May 2013. http://tracingthecity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/
Does-Art-Matter.pdf
5. American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Recommended Practice: Best Practices for Integrating Art into Cap
ital Projects. APTA Standards Development Program, APTA SUDS-UD-RP-007-13. Published June 28, 2013. http://www.
apta.com/resources/hottopics/sustainability/Documents/APTA%20SUDS-UD-RP-007-13%20Integrating%20Art%20
into%20Capital%20Projects.pdf
6. UITP (International Association of Public Transport) Design and Culture Group. Fact Sheet: Art on Transport. March
2003.
7. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Benefits of Livability. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/liva
bility/fact_sheets/benefits.pdf
8. Village Well. Train Stations as Places for Community Wellbeing. Published by Village Well (Victoria, Australia). July 2006.
http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/~/media/ProgramsandProjects/PlanningHealthyEnvironments/Attachments/Train_Sta
tions_Community_Wellbeing2.ashx
9. Badger, Emily. Researchers put two Spanish-speakers on a train and changed commuters’ views of immigration. The
Washington Post’s Wonkblog. August 8, 2014. www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/08/08/researchersput-two-spanish-speakers-on-a-train-and-changed-commuters-views-of-immigration/
10. American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Media Center: Public Transportation Benefits. www.apta.com/me
diacenter/ptbenefits/Pages/default.aspx
11. TransLoc, 6 Health Benefits of Public Transportation, http://transloc.com/6-health-benefits-of-public-transportation
12. Litman, T. Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits. Victoria Transport Policy Institute, for the American Public
Transportation Association. June 2010. www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/APTA_Health_Ben
efits_Litman.pdf

REFERENCES
13. Benfield, Kaid. Huffinton Post. How Transit, Walkability Make Cities More Affordable. http://www.huffingtonpost.
com/f-kaid-benfield/how-transit-walkability-h_b_5704997.html. August 25, 2014.
14. American Public Transportation Commission. Why Design Matters. 2011.
15. Smith, Martha J. and Ronald V. Clarke. Crime and Public Transport. Crime and Justice. Vol. 27 (2000) pp. 169-233.
The University of Chicago Press.
16. U.S. Federal Transportation Administration Circular 9400.1A. “Design and Art in Transit Projects.” 1995
17. Village Well. Train Stations as Places for Community Wellbeing. Published by Village Well (Victoria, Australia).
July 2006.
18. Americans for the Arts. Why Public Art Matters. Public Art Network Council, Green Paper. http://blog.artsusa.org/
artsblog/wp-content/uploads/greenpapers/documents/PublicArtNetwork_GreenPaper.pdf
19. Loukaitou-Sideris, Anastasia and James Rojas. Project for Public Spaces (project funded by FTA). Tools for Transit
Dependent Communities. http://www.pps.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Tools-for-Transit-Dependent-Com
munities.pdf
20. Rapson, Rip. Creative placemaking: Rethinking the role of arts and culture in strengthening communities. CEO of
Kresge Foundation, Speaking at the League of Historic American Theaters conference. July 18, 2013. http://kresge.
org/about-us/presidents-corner/creative-placemaking-rethinking-role-arts-and-culture-strengthening-commu
21. Schleter, Brian. Measuring the Social, Economic Benefits of Art and Culture. Penn Current. October 13, 2011.
22. Debrezion, G., Eric Pels and Piet Rietveld. The Impact of Railway Stations on Residential and Commercial Property
Value: A Meta-analysis. Springer Science + Business Media, LLC. Published online: June 19, 2007.
23. Grodach, Carl, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, and Nicole Foster and James Murdoch III. A Metro- and Neighbor
hood-Level Analysis. Urban Studies. February 1, 2014.
24. National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). State Policy Briefs, Tools for Art Decision Making: Why
Should the Government Support the Arts? 2014. http://www.nasaa-arts.org/Advocacy/Advocacy-Tools/Why-Gov
ernment-Support/WhyGovSupport.pdf
25. City of Cincinnati. Climate Protection Action: The Green Cincinnati Plan. June 19, 2008. http://www.uc.edu/cdc/
urban_database/citywide_regional/green_cinti_plan.pdf

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