Athanasia Karalakou, Isabella Waldorf, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Bogenberger, researchers from TUM's Chair of Traffic Engineering and Control, participated in Swiftposium today, a hybrid academic conference fostering critical dialogue about Taylor Swift’s popularity and its profound implications. The event, collaboratively organized by scholars from six universities across Australia and New Zealand, featured various works, including insights into how Taylor Swift's music promotes public transport usage among listeners and the modal split of attendees choosing transportation to concerts.
During the Swiftposium, Waldorf, Karalakou, and Bogenberger presented their work titled "I Called a Taxi to Take Me There" about Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Impacts on Local Traffic. This research explored the effects of large-scale events, specifically Taylor Swift's concerts, on local traffic. The researchers gained valuable insights into the transportation dynamics associated with large-scale entertainment events by analyzing data related to transportation patterns, public transport, and mode choices. Their focus on the 2023 Chicago concerts of Taylor Swift's Eras’ tour allowed them to explore transportation preferences among diverse audiences.
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, hosted at Soldier Field stadium in Chicago, Illinois, attracted a substantial audience of approximately 60,000 participants. Such high-attendance events stress the local transportation system. In this study, the researchers present a comprehensive analysis of the transportation impact resulting from the concert held on Friday, June 2, 2023, with a focus on its unique characteristics. The analysis reveals a significant increase in transportation demand on the day of the concert, encompassing various modes, including public transport, ride hailing services like Uber, and taxi, exceeding typical levels seen on regular Fridays. Of particular interest are the peak demands observed at transportation hubs in close proximity to the stadium, including the Roosevelt train station and the bus line 146. Analyzing the modal split among concert-goers who do not utilize active modes of transportation, the authors estimate that 8% arrived via the metro, 3% by bus, 6% by taxi, 32% by Uber, and a majority of 51% opted for private cars. To assess the impact on congestion, they conducted a thorough analysis of traffic flow along South-Lake-Shore Drive, which leads to the stadium's parking lots and entrances. Comparing data to typical Fridays, average vehicle speed decreased by 47.2% between 17:00 and 19:00 when doors opened and, after the concert, dropped by 77.4% from 23:00 to 00:00. Future plans include augmenting the analysis with comparative statistics for similar large-scale events in the city, providing additional context for transportation dynamics.
Overall, the research offers valuable insights into the transportation dynamics associated with large-scale entertainment events, such as concerts, and the transportation preferences of their diverse audiences. The findings highlight the importance of improved planning and infrastructure management for large-scale entertainment events, advocating for more sustainable and resilient transportation systems.
The Swiftposium brought fun into scientific work and showed that academic research and pleasure can go hand in hand.
Link:
Chair of Traffic Engineering and Control
https://swiftposium2024.com