"Structural equation model in exploring urban sprawl and its impact on " by Md Hamidur Rahman and Angela Antipova
 

Structural equation model in exploring urban sprawl and its impact on commuting time in 162 US urbanized areas

Abstract

There is a lack of extensive empirical research on the influence of sprawl on commuting accounting for indirect effect of mediating factors. The study aims to fill this gap by exploring the relationship between urban sprawl and commute time in 162 urbanized areas in the United States, with a comprehensive analytical framework using a structural equation model (SEM). Specifically, we evaluate the direct, indirect, and total effects of sprawl factors on commuting outcomes and consider the mediating effect of automobile ownership, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and congestion. The results indicate that compact development reduced VMT per capita, which in turn led to reduced commuting time. However, compact development also increased congestion-related delays, which offset some of the positive effects on commuting time. Additionally, the study found that compact development reduced automobile ownership, leading to higher average automobile commuting time in studied urbanized areas. Overall, we found that a doubling of compactness was associated with a 30.3 % decline in average auto commute time, holding other factors constant. The study highlights the importance of considering the indirect effects of urban form on commuting and provides insights for city planners and policymakers in developing comprehensive travel demand management plans.

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Cities

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