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Empirically-derived, locally responsive travel time thresholds for optimal geographic supermarket access using national commuting data

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  • Mathis, Walter S.
  • Kahn, Peter A.
  • Tang, Shangbin
  • Berenbrok, Lucas A.
  • Hernandez, Inmaculada

Abstract

This study introduces a novel method for assessing spatial access to supermarkets in the United States, addressing limitations of the US Department of Agriculture Food Access Research Atlas definition. Our method eliminates the food desert poverty requirement and derives empirical time-based thresholds that reflect a nuanced urban/rural spectrum and regional differences in normative drive times. Using these thresholds, we identify more than 66 million individuals experiencing suboptimal food access, distributed across 30,011 census tracts. Travel time thresholds ranged from 2.93 to 7.17 min (sd = 1.09) in urban blocks, 5.86 to 19.21 min (sd = 1.93) in suburban blocks, 2.68 to 12.98 min (sd = 1.81) in large rural blocks, and 9.74 to 28.13 min (sd = 3.39) in small rural blocks. The shortest thresholds were found in urban centers around New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, while the longest were in sparsely populated regions of Northern California, the Southwest, and the Great Plains. Our approach represents a significant methodological advancement in food access research and can be applied to measure variation in geographical access to other community resources and services.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathis, Walter S. & Kahn, Peter A. & Tang, Shangbin & Berenbrok, Lucas A. & Hernandez, Inmaculada, 2024. "Empirically-derived, locally responsive travel time thresholds for optimal geographic supermarket access using national commuting data," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:118:y:2024:i:c:s0966692324001546
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2024.103945
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ver Ploeg, Michele & Breneman, Vince & Dutko, Paula & Williams, Ryan & Snyder, Samantha & Dicken, Chris & Kaufman, Phillip, 2012. "Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food: Updated Estimates of Distance to Supermarkets Using 2010 Data," Economic Research Report 262227, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Michele Ver Ploeg & Paula Dutko & Vince Breneman, 2015. "Measuring Food Access and Food Deserts for Policy Purposes," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 37(2), pages 205-225.
    3. Garrett Dash Nelson & Alasdair Rae, 2016. "An Economic Geography of the United States: From Commutes to Megaregions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, November.
    4. Wilde, Parke & Llobrera, Joseph & Ver Ploeg, Michele, 2014. "Population Density, Poverty, and Food Retail Access in the United States: An Empirical Approach," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 17(A), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Donald P. Morgan & Maxim L. Pinkovskiy & Bryan Yang, 2016. "Banking Deserts, Branch Closings, and Soft Information," Liberty Street Economics 20160307, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
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