RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AND TRAVEL PATTERNS: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

With the increasing concern about the environmental side effects of the use of the automobile, a few researchers, real estate developers, and increasingly policy makers in many states argue for the need for infill housing, mixed land uses, and increased density, especially around transit stations. In making these recommendations they make several assumptions about the relationship between high-density residential development and transportation choices and the resultant environmental impacts. They assume that people in high-density developments will make fewer and shorter trips and walk or use transit more frequently than residents of other areas. Furthermore they often assume that these high-density residential areas have a mix of land uses and a variety of destinations for residents. Finally, they assume that people will be willing to move to high-density areas and, when they do, will change their travel patterns. Several sets of the literature are explored to gain a better understanding of the interactions between the household in high-density residential areas, the land-use characteristics of the area, and the transportation choices of households.