Citation

Ossenbruggen PJ, Fishman MJ. Transp. Res. Rec. 1977; 627: 10-13.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of zoning regulations in controlling residential land development in a community that is served by a new extension line of a high-speed rail rapid transit system. A mathematical model was established to determine the significant variables that explained the rapid development that took place in Quincy, a suburb of Boston. In the transit impact study, travel time, zoning policy and public transportation service variables were used in this model. Data was also collected for the period 1963-1973 and stratified by traffic analysis zone. The impact of transportation on each analysis zone was measured by the transportation service variables. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed on various linear and log-linear transformations for the variables. The mathematical model for the city of Quincy illustrated that residential land development will be stimulated by the construction of the new extension line of the rapid transit system. Land developers will begin construction of new housing units with construction of the new transit line if initiated, and will not wait until the line is open for service. Zoning regulation is a significant mechanism for controlling the location and type of land development. Neighborhoods that are primarily zoned for single and two-family dwelling units are particularly vulnerable to rapid change in neighborhood character, if zoning a regulation permits construction of medium and high-density units. Since transit service variables are not statistically significant variables, they have no quantifiable impact on land development.