Policy Implications of Excess Commuting: Examining the Impacts of Changes in US Metropolitan Spatial Structure

Abstract

This article examines how changes in US metropolitan spatial structure lead to an increase in measurable excess commuting and a decrease in measurable transport—land use connections. Using Boston and Atlanta as two comparative regions, this research computes excess commuting with three-decade census data and then examines excess commuting in relation to the changes in metropolitan spatial structure. Empirical results suggest that the transport—land use connection appears weaker over the decades as the dispersion of jobs changes the dynamics of commuting and the selection of residential location follows patterns of average job location rather than that of the closest available job location. This decreasing transport—land use connection points to a spatial structure effect apart from individual preferences. It also suggests an alternative view of excess commuting for metropolitan transport policy-making.