This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Crane, R. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

The Influence of Urban Form on Travel: An Interpretive Review

Department of Urban Planning, School of Public Policy and Social Research, University of California, Los Angeles.

Can neighborhood design improve traffic? Although a fair question in its own right, several influential planning strategies, including "the new urbanism,""smart growth," and the "livability agenda" take the answer more or less for granted. But what do we really know, and how can we improve our knowledge on this key issue? The article first proposes a scheme for categorizing research addressing these and related questions. It then presents a detailed discussion of key studies of urban form and travel behavior. The research strategies employed and the data, methods, and results of these studies are evaluated in detail. The article concludes that although this body of research is improving in several respects and should be encouraged by policy makers and scholars alike, our current understanding of this complex group of relationships remains tentative. The basis for using land use and urban design to selectively change travel behavior thus appears limited in the near term, whereas research opportunities abound.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Forsyth, M. Hearst, J. M. Oakes, and K. H. Schmitz Design and Destinations: Factors Influencing Walking and Total Physical Activity Urban Stud, August 1, 2008; 45(9): 1973 - 1996. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. du Toit, E. Cerin, E. Leslie, and N. Owen Does Walking in the Neighbourhood Enhance Local Sociability? Urban Stud, August 1, 2007; 44(9): 1677 - 1695. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Kawabata and Q. Shen Commuting Inequality between Cars and Public Transit: The Case of the San Francisco Bay Area, 1990-2000 Urban Stud, August 1, 2007; 44(9): 1759 - 1780. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Forsyth, J. M. Oakes, K. H. Schmitz, and M. Hearst Does Residential Density Increase Walking and Other Physical Activity? Urban Stud, April 1, 2007; 44(4): 679 - 697. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. Filion and K. McSpurren Smart Growth and Development Reality: The Difficult Co-ordination of Land Use and Transport Objectives Urban Stud, March 1, 2007; 44(3): 501 - 523. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Neuman The Compact City Fallacy Journal of Planning Education and Research, September 1, 2005; 25(1): 11 - 26. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. E. McMillan Urban Form and a Child's Trip to School: The Current Literature and a Framework for Future Research Journal of Planning Literature, May 1, 2005; 19(4): 440 - 456. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. J. Clifton Mobility Strategies and Food Shopping for Low-Income Families: A Case Study Journal of Planning Education and Research, June 1, 2004; 23(4): 402 - 413. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. J. Krizek Operationalizing Neighborhood Accessibility for Land Use-Travel Behavior Research and Regional Modeling Journal of Planning Education and Research, March 1, 2003; 22(3): 270 - 287. [Abstract] [PDF]