MEASURING SPATIAL ADAPTABILITY ALONG BRT CORRIDORS: WHY FORM, REGULATION, AND ACCESSIBILITY MUST BE MEASURED TOGETHER

The Spatial Adaptability Index (SAI) is proposed as an integrated, spatially explicit tool for assessing the transformation potential of urban areas influenced by Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. Applied to Guatemala City’s Transmetro Lines 7 and 12, the SAI combines five critical dimensions: urban morphology, density potential, transit accessibility, land value elasticity, and zoning flexibility. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and spatial clustering techniques were employed to identify latent structural patterns and classify urban blocks by their adaptability levels. High SAI scores are consistently associated with zones undergoing land-use change and value appreciation, especially where fine-grained morphology and permissive zoning coincide with strong transit access. In contrast, areas with low adaptability scores tend to resist transformation, even when located near BRT infrastructure, due to rigid regulations or unfavorable spatial configurations. Accessibility, while necessary, proves insufficient on its own to trigger meaningful change unless reinforced by institutional and market readiness. The SAI functions not only as a diagnostic instrument but also as a strategic planning framework to inform equitable and infrastructure-aligned urban interventions. Its application underscores the necessity of multidimensional analysis in guiding sustainable transit-oriented development (TOD) and highlights specific spatial opportunities and barriers within rapidly urbanizing environments.