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Road Capacity and the Allocation of Time

Author

Listed:
  • David Levinson

    () (Nexus (Networks, Economics, and Urban Systems) Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota)

  • Seshasai Kanchi

Abstract

Additional highway capacity, by increasing travel speed, affects the individual share of time within a 24-hour budget allocated to various activities (time spent at and traveling to home, shop, work and other). Some activities will be undertaken more, others less. This paper extends previous research that identified and quantified induced demand in terms of vehicle miles traveled, by considering what type of demand is induced and which activities are consequently reduced, using the 1990 and 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey and Federal Highway Administration highway statistics data. While total travel times have not seen any significant change between the years 1990 and 1995, there is a significant change in activity durations. Further, as a result of additional capacity, workers spend less time traveling. Workers also spend more time at home and other activities and less at work and shop. Non-workers, in contrast, travel more, and spend more time shopping and at home, but less time at other activities. This points out the differences in discretionary and non-discretionary activities for workers and non-workers. It also suggests that there are real gains from capacity in people's lives, at least in the short term, as it is time, and not VMT, that individuals base decisions on.

Suggested Citation

  • David Levinson & Seshasai Kanchi, 2002. "Road Capacity and the Allocation of Time," Working Papers 200203, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:nex:wpaper:roadcapacity
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11299/179893
    File Function: First version, 2007
    Download Restriction: no

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lothlorien Redmond & Patricia Mokhtarian, 2001. "The positive utility of the commute: modeling ideal commute time and relative desired commute amount," Transportation, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 179-205, May.
    2. Small, Kenneth A, 1982. "The Scheduling of Consumer Activities: Work Trips," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 72(3), pages 467-479, June.
    3. 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.
    4. David Levinson & Ajay Kumar, 1994. "The Rational Locator: Why Travel Times Have Remained Stable," Working Papers 199402, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    5. Hansen, Mark & Huang, Yuanlin, 1997. "Road supply and traffic in California urban areas," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 205-218, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. David Levinson & Ramachandra Karamalaputi, 2003. "Predicting the Construction of New Highway Links," Working Papers 200305, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    2. David Levinson, 2008. "Density and dispersion: the co-development of land use and rail in London," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 55-77, January.
    3. M. Manoj & Ashish Verma, 2017. "A structural equation model based analysis of non-workers’ activity-travel behaviour from a city of a developing country," Transportation, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 241-269, March.
    4. Martin P. Brosnan & David Levinson, 2014. "Accessibility and the Allocation of Time: Changes in Travel Behavior 1990-2010," Working Papers 000120, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    5. Manoj, M. & Verma, Ashish, 2015. "Activity–travel behaviour of non-workers from Bangalore City in India," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 400-424.
    6. Pavithra Parthasarathi & David M. Levinson & Ramachandra Karamalaputi, 2003. "Induced Demand: A Microscopic Perspective," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 40(7), pages 1335-1351, June.
    7. Yao Wu & David Levinson, 2005. "The Rational Locator Reexamined," Working Papers 200503, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    8. Xi Zou & David Levinson, 2006. "Financing and Deploying Automated Freight Systems," Working Papers 200611, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time Use; Travel Behavior; Activity Patterns; Roadway Capacity; Induced Demand.;

    JEL classification:

    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • R48 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government Pricing and Policy
    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General

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