A study by a University of Minnesota researcher

A study by a University of Minnesota researcher adds to the growing evidence that urban places reduce automobile use. The study looked at the travel patterns of households in the Seattle area that moved from urban to suburban locations (defined according to block size and degree of mixed use), and vice-versa. The study by Kevin Krizek, assistant professor of urban planning and public affairs, was designed to minimize the potential for bias from what he calls “residential sorting,” i.e., the idea that people who want to drive less are predisposed to living in urban locations. This study shows that the same family will drive more when living in a suburban subdivision than on a city or town block. “Thus, not only does the land use/transport relationship appear to make a difference at both the regional and neighborhood levels, but by most standards, the magnitude of the increase — 5 miles per day per household — deserves attention from the planning community.” The study, Residential Relocation and Changes in Urban Travel, was published in the summer 2003 Journal of the American Planning Association.