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Quality of Life, Multimodality, and the Demise of the Autocentric Metropolis: A Multivariate Analysis of 148 Mid-Size U.S. Cities

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  • Craig A. Talmage

    (Hobart and William Smith Colleges)

  • Chad Frederick

    (University of Louisville)

Abstract

Quality of life has recently gained prominence in the urban affairs, development, and planning debates. A wide-range of factors have been linked to quality of life, including environmental health, commute times, arts and cultural amenities, school quality, housing availability, and economic concerns. The accessibility inherent in multimodal transportation is critical in the functioning of metropolitan areas. What has not been explored is the association between multimodal transportation and urban quality of life. In this paper, we adapt the method of urban sociologists, Harvey Molotch and Richard Appelbaum, to explore the association between multimodality and 12 measures of quality of life. We analyze 148 cities in the United States with populations over 50,000 that are more than 20 miles from other similarly sized cities. Our test measure is the percentage of workers who commute by some means other than a single-occupant vehicle. Using bivariate and multivariate analysis, this study shows a higher quality of life in counties and metropolitan areas with higher levels of multimodal commuting. These findings underscore the positive impact of sustainable transportation policies on quality of life and opens up new directions for research and policy in the built environment.

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  • Craig A. Talmage & Chad Frederick, 2019. "Quality of Life, Multimodality, and the Demise of the Autocentric Metropolis: A Multivariate Analysis of 148 Mid-Size U.S. Cities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(1), pages 365-390, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:141:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-017-1829-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-017-1829-4
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    3. Aurelio Hess & Sampson Banflo Narteh-Yoe, 2020. "Productivity, Sustainability, and Economic Growth in Metropolises: Estimates of Long-Time Commuting Effects in Developing Countries," Proceedings of the 16th International RAIS Conference, March 30-31, 2020 004ah, Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies.
    4. Jantsch, Antje & Piper, Alan, 2024. "An investigation into the relationship between town size and well-being in Latin America and the role of education," MPRA Paper 120565, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Timmer, Sebastian & Bösehans, Gustav & Henkel, Sven, 2023. "Behavioural norms or personal gains? – An empirical analysis of commuters‘ intention to switch to multimodal mobility behaviour," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    6. Alexis Poulhès & Angèle Brachet, 2021. "Does Revitalizing the Center of Mid-Sized French Cities Reduce GHG Emissions from Commuting?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    7. Frederick, Chad & Hammersmith, Anna & Gilderbloom, John Hans, 2019. "Putting ‘place’ in its place: Comparing place-based factors in interurban analyses of life expectancy in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 148-155.
    8. Takumi Horiike & Kento Yoh & Kenji Doi & Chun-Chen Chou, 2023. "Assessing the Hierarchical Diversity of Public Transportation Considering Connectivity and Its Implication on Regional Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-20, December.
    9. Musa Pazhuhan & Saeed Zanganeh Shahraki & Niloofar Kaveerad & Sirio Cividino & Matteo Clemente & Luca Salvati, 2020. "Factors Underlying Life Quality in Urban Contexts: Evidence from an Industrial City (Arak, Iran)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, March.
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