benefits of compact, mixed use development

This article used structural equation modelling to better understand how different built environments affect vehicle-miles travelled (VMT) per capita in 370 U.S. urbanized areas. It controlled for transportation supply in the form of road density, travel mode choices, and median household income. Data was retrieved from the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Statistics, the U.S. Census, and other sources. The authors calculated elasticities for each of the variables in consideration and VMT. For density, the direct elasticity measuring the relationship between density and VMT showed that a population density increase of 1% is associated with a 0.6% decline in VMT per capita. The study also explores the relationship between retail accessibility, density, and VMT, as well as various combinations of the other variables.