Assessing the impacts of Light Rail Transit on urban land in Manila

Abstract

?ispaperpresentsanassessmentofimpactsofLightRailTransitLine1(LRT1)intermsof accessibility and distance as they relate to variables such as land values, land uses, and population den- sities in Manila, Philippines. Using correlations and regressions, these variables are analyzed against an accessibility index and network distances obtained from a model built within a Geographic Informa- tion System (GIS). Land values, land uses, and population densities are in?uenced in a limited, though consistent, way by the accessibility provided by LRT1 and the distance to it. ?e analysis of impacts a?ertheconstructionofLRT1foundthataccessibilityanddistancewereonlyconsistentin?uencesfor residentiallandvalues,withmarginalresultsfortherestofthevariables. ?eseresults,whencontrasted withtheurbancon?gurationofManilaandthestudiesreviewed,showthatthelimitedimpactsmaybe a consequence of good accessibility before LRT1 and the lack of complementary planning and policies fortakingadvantageofitsin?uence.