01128822

Component

The causality issue has become one of the key questions in the debate over the relationship between the built environment and travel behavior. To ascertain whether changes to the built environment are a cost-effective way to change travel behavior, it is necessary to determine the magnitude of the effect. Further, it is important to understand if the observed influence of the built environment on travel behavior diminishes substantially once controlled for self-selection. Using 1,553 residents living in four traditional and four suburban neighborhoods in Northern California, this study explores the causal effect of neighborhood type on travel behavior and the relationship between this effect and the observed influence of neighborhood type on travel behavior. Specifically, this study applied propensity score stratification, which has been widely used to reduce selection bias. The results showed that, on average, the true effect of neighborhood type on driving distance is 18.0 miles per week, which accounts for 12% of individuals’ overall vehicle miles driven. The true influences of neighborhood type are likely to be overstated by 29% for driving distance, 64% for utilitarian walking frequency, and 16% for recreational walking frequency, if residential self-selection is not controlled for. This study also offers a basic tutorial for the propensity score approach and discusses its strengths and weaknesses for applications in the field of land use and travel behavior.

01120148

09-0115

English

25p

2009

Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting

DVD

Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables (7)

Built environment; Cost effectiveness; Land use planning; Neighborhoods; Transportation planning; Travel behavior; Travel surveys; Trip length

Causal factors

Northern California

Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2009 Paper #09-0115

TRIS, TRB

Jan 30 2009 4:22PM