The Influence of Land Use on Travel Decisions and the Implications for Daily Distance Traveled

Urban concepts such as the compact city and new urban designs presuppose that a more compact urban form will result in shorter travel distances, particularly by car. There is, however, no question of a direct relationship here, because the distance traveled is not a travel choice in itself but the result of decisions about participation in activity and travel. Household and land use characteristics therefore only have a direct influence on the choice of activities, locations, chaining behavior and transport modes. These decisions are not subject to a predefined sequence; on the contrary, they are part of a process in which they are taken simultaneously. This study systematically explored the influence of urban form on activity/travel decisions and how these, in turn, affect the daily distances traveled in general and by car. We conducted our research by applying a series of multivariate models to analyse data collected in the Northern wing of Randstad Holland in the Netherlands. The analyses show that the influence of urban form on the daily travel distance is more adequately explained indirectly via the decisions than directly. Further, it is clear that land use has both a stimulating and constraining effect on the eventual daily travel distance. On the one hand, a more compact urban form generates more activities and tours and therefore more kilometers; on the other hand, these are reduced by more efficient chains and greater use of public transport and bikes - already extremely limited, given the connection between land use and travel.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Maat, Kees
  • Timmermans, Harry J P
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 23p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Decision making; Land use; Land use planning; Mode choice; Public transit; Travel; Travel time; Trip length; Urban areas; Urban transportation
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01044586
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-0221
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 28 2007 7:14AM