Land use impacts of rapid transit: a review of the empirical literature

Abstract

This paper attempts to consolidate the existing empirical evidence on the land use impacts of rail rapid transit. A framework for organizing the literature is developed based on the objects of study, analytical techniques and methodological approaches used. Thirty-seven studies are reviewed covering transit's impacts on property values, development and vacancy rates, changes in land use types, and population and employment growth. Ten recurring themes in the studies' findings are highlighted. Accessibility to transit tends to effect an average residential property value premium of six to seven percent, but overall land use changes are typically small and require the presence of several complementary factors, such as supportive local land use policies and existing demand for high density development.