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Automobiles and urban density
[Urban spatial structure]

Author

Listed:
  • Francis Ostermeijer
  • Hans R A Koster
  • Jos van Ommeren
  • Victor Mayland Nielsen

Abstract

How has the rise of the automobile influenced urban areas over the past century? In this paper, we investigate the long-run impact of car ownership on urban population density, based on a sample of 232 city observations in 57 countries. Using the presence of a domestic car manufacturer in 1920 as a source of exogenous variation, our IV estimates indicate that car ownership substantially reduces density. A one standard deviation increase in car ownership rates causes a reduction in population density of around 35%. For employment density, we find almost identical results. This result has important implications for vehicle taxation, car ownership growth in developing countries, and new transport technologies such as automated vehicles.

Suggested Citation

  • Francis Ostermeijer & Hans R A Koster & Jos van Ommeren & Victor Mayland Nielsen, 2022. "Automobiles and urban density [Urban spatial structure]," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 22(5), pages 1073-1095.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jecgeo:v:22:y:2022:i:5:p:1073-1095.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jeg/lbab047
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    Cited by:

    1. Gal Amedi, 2023. "The Determinants of the Transit Accessibility Premium," Bank of Israel Working Papers 2023.12, Bank of Israel.
    2. Blaudin de Thé, Camille & Carantino, Benjamin & Lafourcade, Miren, 2021. "The carbon ‘carprint’ of urbanization: New evidence from French cities," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    3. Jerch, Rhiannon & Barwick, Panle Jia & Li, Shanjun & Wu, Jing, 2024. "The impact of road rationing on housing demand and sorting," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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