Effects of urban rail transit expansion on the mobility of the elderly: Findings from Singapore

Abstract

This study used the opening of the Circle Line (CCL) of Singapore as a quasi-experiment and performed a series of before-and-after analyses to examine the average treatment effect by comparing the changes in the travel-activity patterns of older adults residing near the CCL stations and of those residing at a greater distance from the new stations. Our research revealed that the new urban rail line influenced the travel-activity patterns of the nearby elderly people through a combination of the mobility effect and the amenity effect. On the mobility effect, we found the new line facilitates the adjacent elderly people to engage in out-of-home activities and reduces the average travel time and distance for commuting and shopping activities. The amenity impact suggests that changes in land use surrounding CCL stations may accommodate the shopping and dining needs of adjacent older adults. In addition, the enhanced walkability of the neighborhoods can promote walking among nearby elderly people, particularly for dining, recreation, and escorting/accompanying activities. The study also found that the network effect of the new urban rail line on the activity-travel behaviors of older adults living adjacent to the non-CCL stations is limited. However, the older adults residing near the CCL stations exhibit greater propensity to choose destinations near non-CCL stations for dining and recreational activities after the opening of CCL line. These findings suggest that the urban rail line investment may yield multiple benefits for the elderly, including increased mobility, improved accessibility to services and opportunities, and a better pedestrian environment. This might shed new light for the assessment of the advantages of public transportation investment in an aging society.

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