Evaluation of Land-Use Layout of the Rail Station Area Based on the Difference in Noise Sensitivity to Rail Transit, Taking a Suburb of Tokyo as an Example

Abstract

Rail transit has been deemed a sustainable means of transportation, but its agglomeration effect and the noise therefrom create conflict. Generally, such conflict can be solved by designing the architecture and facilities of rail transit using noise-reduction methods. However, relevant studies have pointed out the limitations of such methods from the perspective of enforceability and social justice. Specifically, extensive monitoring of noise is difficult, and the cost of noise reduction is mostly borne by the surrounding residents. Thus, another question has been raised: Can we apply a land-use layout that takes into account the difference in sensitivity to rail noise of different types of land so as to weaken the negative impact of rail noise? In this paper, we adopted various methods of the characteristic price method, progressive multivariate regression analysis method and noise simulation method, and adopted the suburban rail transit system in Japan as the research object to analyze the impact of rail noise on the price of residential land within 200 m of the rail line. Additionally, we investigated the impact of the accessibility to the station site on the price of commercial and residential land within 800 m of the rail line. We also established the evaluation model on this basis. Lastly, we conducted a further discussion on the evaluation model by studying the re-development project of Tokyo’s Futako Tamagawa Station. The major conclusions in this paper are the following: rail noise is negatively related to the price of residential land within 200 m of the rail line; the price of commercial land within 800 m of the station site is negatively related to the station’s accessibility; and the price of residential land is unrelated to the station’s accessibility. According to the results of the analysis of Tokyo’s Futako Tamagawa Station, designing and arranging commercial land that is insensitive to rail noise in the area surrounding the rail line and using commercial buildings as a shield for the residential land behind them will be beneficial for weakening the negative impact of noise and maximizing the use of the commercial value generated by the station’s accessibility.