Understanding the Choice of Residential Location Near Transit Stations and Urban Rail Commuting:

Abstract

This research is aimed at understanding the factors affecting whether residents choose residential locations near transit stations as well as the rail service use of residents within 3 km of a station. The research outcomes are expected to contribute insight, for urban planners and real estate developers, in particular, into important factors regarding increasing the number of station-area residents who use rail transit in their daily travel. This research, which collected the data from a questionnaire survey, found that among 624 respondents in total, 68% are station-area residents who live within 1 km of a station, while 32% are residents who live far from a station (1-3 km). A hierarchical binary logistic regression model is used to describe the factors affecting the choices of residents to live within 1 km of stations as well as rail service use in general. The main variables used in the model estimation are socioeconomics, travel behaviours, workplace location characteristics and the proximity of residences to outdoor activities in a transit-oriented development.