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The effect of subway expansions on vehicle congestion: Evidence from Beijing

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  • Yang, Jun
  • Chen, Shuai
  • Qin, Ping
  • Lu, Fangwen
  • Liu, Antung A.

Abstract

Does public transportation reduce vehicle congestion? Using a regression-discontinuity framework, we examine the effect of six subway openings on short-run congestion in Beijing between 2009 and 2015. We find that vehicle congestion drops sharply immediately after new subway openings. In our central specification, each of the subway openings decreased delay times by an average of 15% in the short run over the city of Beijing.

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  • Yang, Jun & Chen, Shuai & Qin, Ping & Lu, Fangwen & Liu, Antung A., 2018. "The effect of subway expansions on vehicle congestion: Evidence from Beijing," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 114-133.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:88:y:2018:i:c:p:114-133
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2017.09.007
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    7. Peng, Cong, 2019. "Does e-commerce reduce traffic congestion? Evidence from Alibaba Single Day shopping event," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103411, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    18. Cong Peng, 2019. "Does e-commerce reduce traffic congestion? Evidence from Alibaba Single Day shopping event," CEP Discussion Papers dp1646, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    19. Jin, Yu & Zhou, Jiehong & Ye, Juntao, 2023. "Value of certification in collective reputation crises: Evidence from Chinese dairy firms," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
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    21. Tovar Reanos, Miguel, 2020. "Car ownership and the distributional and environmental policies to reduce driving behavior," Papers WP673, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    22. Gaduh, Arya & Gračner, Tadeja & Rothenberg, Alexander D., 2022. "Life in the slow lane: Unintended consequences of public transit in Jakarta," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
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    24. Hongyou Lu & Yunchan Zhu & Yu Qi & Jinliang Yu, 2018. "Do Urban Subway Openings Reduce PM 2.5 Concentrations? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-24, November.
    25. Jean-Philippe Meloche & Vincent Trotignon & François Vaillancourt, 2021. "Densification ou prolongement des réseaux de transport structurants ? Une recension des écrits sur les coûts et les bénéfices attendus," CIRANO Project Reports 2020rp-28, CIRANO.

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    Keywords

    Q5; R4;

    JEL classification:

    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • R4 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics

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