Quasi-longitudinal analysis of links between built environment, travel attitudes and travel behavior: A case of Greeks relocating from US to Greece

Recent quasi-longitudinal studies have offered evidence on the causality of the relationship between built environment and travel behavior. However, these studies have focused on residential moves within the same region, thus limiting the extent of movers’ exposure to different built environments and possibly underestimating the built environment effects on travel behavior in comparison to self-selection effects. In this paper, the authors explore the relationships between built environment, travel attitudes and travel behavior of people that have moved between totally different urban and transportation contexts, namely US and Greece. A quasi-longitudinal design has been developed, involving 31 Greeks who have relocated back from the US to Greece. They have collected detailed information about their perceived neighborhood characteristics, neighborhood preferences and travel attitudes after relocation. Their findings add evidence to the existing literature identifying a causal relationship between the built environment and car use. For instance, lack of adequate public transportation network and cycle facilities, more difficult access to regional shopping centers and better access to neighborhood amenities in the Greek context were found to be associated with more driving after relocation; lack of safe bike conditions and easy access to public transportation were the most important determinants of changes in bicycle use and walking respectively. The results highlight the importance of a holistic approach (in terms of sustainable land use policies and development of infrastructure for alternative modes of transport) when it comes to enhancing accessibility in a city and consequently reducing car use and increasing walking and bicycle use.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADB10 Traveler Behavior and Values.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Milakis, Dimitris
  • Efthymiou, Dimitrios
  • Antoniou, Constantinos
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 21p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Environment; Migration; Modal shift; Travel behavior
• Uncontrolled Terms: Relocation
• Geographic Terms: Greece; United States
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01551830
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-1125
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 27 2015 11:24AM