research report

Transit Investment Impacts on Land Use Beyond the Half-Mile Mark

Publication Date

June 1, 2017

Author(s)

Ashley (Wan-Tzu) Lo, Douglas Houston, Jae Hong Kim, Jaewoo Cho, Nalia Shareem

Areas of Expertise

Public Transit, Shared Mobility, & Active Transportation Travel Behavior, Land Use, & the Built Environment

Abstract

This project examines the impacts of light rail transit investments on broader vicinity areas in Los Angeles County. This project found that the land use impacts of public transit investments are not necessarily confined to the half-mile boundary around station areas, although substantial variation exists by transit line.  While the areas beyond the half-mile mark were often excluded from conventional transit-oriented planning processes, these areas show a distinct pattern of land use transformation. Areas beyond the half-mile mark had a higher rate of development for several urban purposes, particularly after a few years have elapsed since the opening of nearby transit lines/stations.