1-11: Uses and Limitations of Big Data for Evaluating Transportation Equity – A Literature and Current Practice Review

Social equity has come to the forefront in recent years as a hot topic and essential aspect of transportation planning. Technological advancements are allowing planners to collect more precise data and conduct analysis in real-time, as well as improve visualization and forecasting abilities. “Big data” has immense potential to enrich transportation planning and our understanding of equity issues, even as it poses potential limitations with regard to social equity. Examples abound of big data applications in transportation, including transportation equity analysis, yet these examples are dispersed in different agency studies, company websites, and publications. This synthesis project will scan and mine the literature, government documents, transportation studies, big data company websites, case studies, and other sources to identify and document how various entities are using big data to evaluate transportation equity considerations, including how companies that market big data have designed their platforms to support equity analysis. It will also identify and document examples and considerations relative to the limitations of big data in addressing equity. The synthesis will culminate in a summary of key applications of big data for equity analysis and ongoing gaps in the use of big data in evaluating social equity in transportation planning.