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Did Highways Cause Suburbanization?*

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Author

Listed:
  • Nathaniel Baum-Snow

Abstract

Between 1950 and 1990, the aggregate population of central cities in the United States declined by 17 percent despite population growth of 72 percent in metropolitan areas as a whole. This paper assesses the extent to which the construction of new limited access highways has contributed to central city population decline. Using planned portions of the interstate highway system as a source of exogenous variation, empirical estimates indicate that one new highway passing through a central city reduces its population by about 18 percent. Estimates imply that aggregate central city population would have grown by about 8 percent had the interstate highway system not been built.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathaniel Baum-Snow, 2007. "Did Highways Cause Suburbanization?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(2), pages 775-805.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:qjecon:v:122:y:2007:i:2:p:775-805.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1162/qjec.122.2.775
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    Replication

    This item has been replicated by:
  • Wendell Cox & Peter Gordon & Christian L. Redfearn, 2008. "Highway Penetration of Central Cities: Not a Major Cause of Suburbanization," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 5(1), pages 32-45, January.

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    This item is featured on the following reading lists, Wikipedia, or ReplicationWiki pages:
    1. Did Highways Cause Suburbanization? (QJE 2007) in ReplicationWiki
    2. Historical Economic Geography

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