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Road Expansion, Urban Growth, and Induced Travel: A Path Analysis

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  • Cervero, Robert

Abstract

Claims that roadway investments spur new travel and thus fail to relieve traffic congestion, known as induced demand, have thwarted road development in both the United States and abroad. Most past studies point to a significant induced demand effect. This research challenges past results by employing a path model to causally sort out the links between investments and traffic increases, using data for 24 California free projects across 15 years. Traffic increases are explained in terms of both faster travel speeds and land-use shifts that occur in response to adding freeway lanes. While the path model confirms the presence of induced travel in both the short- and longer-run, estimated elasticities are generally lower than those of earlier studies. This research also reveals significant “induced growth” and “induced investment” effects – real-estate development has gravitated to improved freeway corridors and road investments have been shaped by traffic trends in California. Fighting road projects on the groups of induced-demand should be carefully considered. Energies might be better directed at curbing mispricing in the highway sector and managing land-use changes spawn by road investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Cervero, Robert, 2001. "Road Expansion, Urban Growth, and Induced Travel: A Path Analysis," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt05x370hr, University of California Transportation Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:uctcwp:qt05x370hr
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Patrick DeCorla-Souza & Harry Cohen, 1999. "Estimating induced travel for evaluation of metropolitan highway expansion," Transportation, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 249-262, August.
    2. Hansen, Mark & Gillen, David & Dobbins, Allison & Huang, Yuanlin & Puvathingal, Mohnish, 1993. "The Air Quality Impacts of Urban Highway Capacity Expansion: Traffic Generation and Land Use Change," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt6zz3k76c, University of California Transportation Center.
    3. Cervero, Robert, 2001. "Induced Demand: An Urban Metropolitan Perspective," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt5pj337gw, University of California Transportation Center.
    4. Robert Noland & William Cowart, 2000. "Analysis of Metropolitan Highway Capacity and the growth in vehicle miles of travel," Transportation, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 363-390, December.
    5. Boarnet, Marlon G. & Chalermpong, Saksith, 2000. "New Highways, Urban Development, and Induced Travel," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt3t18n41x, University of California Transportation Center.
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    1. Angarita-Zapata Juan S. & Andrade-Sosa Hugo H. & Parra-Valencia Jorge A., 2016. "Understanding the Structural Complexity of Induced Travel Demand in Decision-Making: A System Dynamics Approach," Organizacija, Sciendo, vol. 49(3), pages 129-143, August.

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