Simulation of the relationship between certain social factors and transportation in a low income area

A computer simulation model of the relationship between education, health, and income was developed for a low-income area of Miami, Florida. A basic assumption was that a causal, circular relationship exists among these factors and that change in one will give rise to an accumulative advance in the others. The estimates obtained from the model were for the ten year period 1960-1970. They confirmed the general absence of change in the study area. The education, health, and income components remained at or near original levels. Using these estimates as a datum, modifications were then introduced into certain model variables to simulate the effect of an improved transit system. With the exception of health, which did seem to be noticeably affected by transit service, the general pattern of the study area remained unchanged. The conclusions of this research were that: 1. Low-equilibrium systems, such as the urban ghetto, have substantial inertia in their social processes. This inerti~ minimizes the effects of social and economic change. 2. Change, to be effective, must concentrate on strategic system variables and must be of large magnitude and occur over a long period. 3. The circular connectivity of processes in ghetto systems is not strong. As a result, a cumulative upward charge in the ghetto is difficult to achieve. 4. Transportation does not appear to be an important catalyst to system change.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Urban and Regional Planning

Department dc:contributor.department

Urban and Regional Planning

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1972

Author dc:creator

• Phelps, Bruce Gordon

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/75969

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/75969