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Spatial Mismatch and Costly Suburban Commutes: Can Commuting Subsidies Help?

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  • Richard W. Martin

    (Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, 206 Brooks Hall, Athens, GA 30602, USA, rmartin@terry.uga.edu)

Abstract

Proponents of the spatial mismatch hypothesis argue that job decentralisation harms low-income residents of central cities because of barriers that limit their access to suburban labour markets. Such barriers can take the form of housing discrimination, exclusionary zoning or long and difficult commutes. This paper uses an urban equilibrium model of spatial mismatch to analyse the impact of commuting subsidies on the welfare of low-income, central-city households with restricted mobility. Specifically, it seeks to determine how effective such subsidies are at reducing the welfare impact of spatial mismatch. While subsidised outward commuting is found to raise the welfare of the low-income households, the welfare gains are only a small portion of the welfare loss due to spatial mismatch.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard W. Martin, 2001. "Spatial Mismatch and Costly Suburban Commutes: Can Commuting Subsidies Help?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 38(8), pages 1305-1318, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:38:y:2001:i:8:p:1305-1318
    DOI: 10.1080/00420980120061034
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ari Tarigan & Stian Bayer & Christin Berg, 2011. "Suburbanisation of employment means less sustainable travel? - The effects of policy location on commuters' travel patterns in the Stavanger region, Norway," ERSA conference papers ersa10p1648, European Regional Science Association.
    2. Hirte, Georg & Tscharaktschiew, Stefan, 2018. "The impact of anti-congestion policies and the role of labor-supply margins," CEPIE Working Papers 04/18, Technische Universität Dresden, Center of Public and International Economics (CEPIE).
    3. Hirte, Georg & Tscharaktschiew, Stefan, 2011. "Income tax deduction of commuting expenses and tax funding in an urban CGE study: the case of German cities," Dresden Discussion Paper Series in Economics 02/11, Technische Universität Dresden, Faculty of Business and Economics, Department of Economics.
    4. Hazans, Mihails, 2003. "Commuting in the Baltic States: Patterns, determinants and gains," ZEI Working Papers B 02-2003, University of Bonn, ZEI - Center for European Integration Studies.
    5. Xiping Yang & Zhixiang Fang & Ling Yin & Junyi Li & Yang Zhou & Shiwei Lu, 2018. "Understanding the Spatial Structure of Urban Commuting Using Mobile Phone Location Data: A Case Study of Shenzhen, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Hazans, Mihails, 2002. "Social returns to commuting in the Baltic states," ERSA conference papers ersa02p232, European Regional Science Association.

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