Structural Equations Model of Land Use Patterns, Location Choice, and Travel Behavior in Southern California

Abstract

This paper continues a series of papers that address the relationship between travel behavior and land use patterns under a structural equations modeling framework in different contexts for comparative purposes. The proposed model structure in this paper is, by design, heavily influenced by a model developed for Lisbon, Portugal; Seattle, Washington; and Montreal, Canada, in addition to a revisited model for Lisbon that used more recent data. In all previous models, significant effects of land use patterns on travel behavior were found. The variables included in this and past models are multidimensional and include short-term decisions (number of trips by mode and trip scheduling) and long-term decisions (home location, car ownership, and mobility). The modeled land use variables measure the levels of urban intensity, density, diversity, and accessibility. The land use patterns are described at the residence and employment zones. To account explicitly for the self-selection bias, the land use variables are modeled explicitly as functions of the socioeconomic attributes of individuals and their households. The findings from Los Angeles, California, and the surrounding metropolitan region are presented in this paper and then compared with those from Lisbon, Seattle, and Montreal. The results show that, similarly to the other cases, land use patterns influence travel behavior significantly. Other commonalities were also found in all four environments, as were some important differences.

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