NEIGHBORHOOD AND REGIONAL EFFECTS ON TRIP DISPERSAL: A CASE STUDY USING DATA FROM THE 9 LARGEST METROPOLITAN REGIONS IN SWITZERLAND

摘要

The effect of urban form variables on dispersal is explored using activity spaces generated from origin destinationdata on 60,000 Swiss residents living in metropolitan areas of varying size, density andpopulation. The diversity of locations enables us to distinguish the roles played by local and regionalvariations in land use. Parameters are estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS) and simultaneousequation model (SEM) regression analysis.Results indicate that neighborhood type has a large and significant effect on the dispersal of travel byresidents, whereas regional effects, found elsewhere to be very large, are quite small. Distance from thecore also has a significant impact on dispersal, but only in the first 8 km surrounding the city center. Ofthe other regional land use variables tested, very few were found to be significant predictors of dispersal,only proportion population within the inner metro area, employment center access and metropolitan areashape. Of note, neither metropolitan area nor population, which were hypothesized to have a significantimpact on dispersal, were found to be significant predictors. Finally, the hypothesis of endogeneity inexplanatory variables was investigated and rejected.These results indicate that policies aimed at developing dense and mixed urban settlements would carrywith them the beneficial effect of reducing travel dispersal, even if not built adjacent to the centralbusiness district.