Revisiting the Relationship between Urban Form and Excess Commuting in US Metropolitan Areas

Abstract

This article revisits the relationship between urban form and excess commuting by analyzing 206 metropolitan statistical areas in the United States. Using the most recent Census Transportation Planning Products, we revalidated the importance of using multidimensional indices when examining excess commuting across metropolitan areas. We found that higher levels of polycentricity aggravate cross-commuting, while higher central city dominance improves excess commuting. In addition, our results indicate the significant impact of sprawl or jobs–housing dispersal on excess commuting. These findings shed light on the multidimensional relationship between urban form and excess commuting.