Dwayne Baker

Bio:

My research and teaching are motivated by understanding the contradiction and paradox that often exists with large-scale transit projects: while expected to enhance urban accessibility, they may also negatively affect vulnerable needing the improvements the most and influence detrimental neighborhood change for impacted residents. I address this paradox by using mixed-methods to draw connections between the processes and outcomes – using qualitative (interviews and content analysis) and quantitative (spatial analysis) methods, respectively. Specifically, I aim to: 1) improve methods to analyze transit’s neighborhood impacts; and 2) identify policies and practices to balance equity considerations with sustainable and economic development. 

I have authored a number of academic articles focused on transportation planning, neighborhood development and change, and the relationship between these two. My recent work has explored ridership impacts of BRT (https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981221085531), job accessibility in New York City (https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2022.2080041), and equitable engagement in transportation planning (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03611981221145131).  

In terms of neighborhood development and change, I have recently explored measures to assess gentrification regarding legalized, recreational marijuana (“Benefit or Burden: Is Retail Marijuana Facility Siting Influenced by Gentrification- or LULU-related Neighborhood Characteristics?”; Urban Studies, forthcoming) and predict displacement and location choices due to large-scale transportation infrastructure (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2021.103212). Currently, I am investigating the impact of BRT on changes in transit ridership and neighborhood developments across North American cities. 

Office: Powdermaker Rm. 250L
Email: dwayne.baker@qc.cuny.edu