Quantifying the Impact of Light Rail Transit on Commercial Property Values: New Evidence From Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Evidence shows that improving accessibility through investment in public transport, such as urban rail transit, can have a positive impact on land values and subsequently on property values. This paper, therefore, presents empirical results on the impact of proximity to the nearest Kelana Jaya light rail transit (LRT) station on commercial property values in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Using the hedonic pricing model, the paper attempts to quantify these effects. The sample consists of 399 office transaction data for the years 2014 and 2018, marking more than a decade of Kelana Jaya LRT line operation in the region. The results show that an office unit located within a 400 m radius of the nearest Kelana Jaya LRT station enjoys the highest premium, reaching about 0.637%, which, at the mean, is MYR802,620 (USD200,655). However, the premium appears to decrease rapidly for an office unit located within a radius of 401–800 m from the nearest Kelana Jaya LRT station, reaching 0.232% (MYR292,320 or USD73,080 of the mean office price). From the results of this study, it can be concluded that this paper contributes to the growing literature on the positive relationship between urban rail transit and commercial property values. More importantly, this paper provides the necessary evidence for the potential implementation of a land value capture policy as an alternative source of revenue to fund or partially fund urban rail transit in Greater Kuala Lumpur, which is presently absent.