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Measuring the impacts of local land-use policies on vehicle miles of travel: The case of the first big-box store in Davis, California

Author

Listed:
  • Lovejoy, Kristin

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Sciara, Gian-Claudia

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Salon, Deborah

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Handy, Susan

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Mokhtarian, Patricia

    (University of California, Davis)

Abstract

Concerns over climate change have brought new impetus to the goal of reducing vehicle travel through land-use policy. To determine the degree to which land-use policies are effective in reducing vehicle travel, studies are needed that measure and compare vehicle travel both before and after a land-use policy change. The opening of the first big-box retail store in Davis, California, represented a major change in the retail landscape and an unusual opportunity to study its effect on shopping travel. Surveys of residents’ shopping behavior conducted before and after the opening of the store revealed a significant shift in where people shopped and a measurable reduction in overall vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for shopping. Although the observed change in VMT is specific to the Davis context, the findings support the general proposition that bringing retail destinations closer to residences could help reduce vehicle travel, particularly where the comparable alternatives for the newly introduced store are far away. The study also offers important insights into the challenges of conducting before-and-after studies of the impact of local land-use changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Lovejoy, Kristin & Sciara, Gian-Claudia & Salon, Deborah & Handy, Susan & Mokhtarian, Patricia, 2013. "Measuring the impacts of local land-use policies on vehicle miles of travel: The case of the first big-box store in Davis, California," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 6(1), pages 25-39.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:jtralu:0097
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Lee, Yongsung & Guhathakurta, Subhrajit, 2018. "An analysis of the effects of suburban densification on vehicle use for shopping: Do existing residents respond to land-use changes in the same way as recent movers?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 193-204.
    2. Salon, Deborah, 2015. "The Effect of Land Use Policies and Infrastructure Investments on How Much We Drive: A Practitioner’s Guide to the Literature," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt54d4567m, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    3. Lee, Richard J. & Sener, Ipek N. & Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Handy, Susan L., 2017. "Relationships between the online and in-store shopping frequency of Davis, California residents," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 40-52.
    4. Matthew E. Kahn & Nils Kok, 2014. "Big-Box Retailers and Urban Carbon Emissions: The Case of Wal-Mart," NBER Working Papers 19912, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Dillon, Harya S. & Saphores, Jean-Daniel & Boarnet, Marlon G., 2015. "The impact of urban form and gasoline prices on vehicle usage: Evidence from the 2009 National Household Travel Survey," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 23-33.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Vehicle miles of travel; land use;

    JEL classification:

    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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