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Freeway Revolts! The Quality of Life Effects of Highways

Author

Listed:
  • Jeffrey Brinkman
  • Jeffrey Lin

    (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia)

Abstract

Why do freeways affect spatial structure? We identify and quantify the local disamenity effects of freeways. Freeways cause slower growth in central neighborhoods (where local disamenities exceed regional accessibility benefits) compared with outlying neighborhoods (where access benefits exceed disamenities). A quantitative model calibrated to Chicago attributes one-third of the effect of freeways on central-city decline to reduced quality of life. Barrier effects are a major factor in the disamenity value of a freeway. Local disamenities from freeways, as opposed to their regional accessibility benefits, had large effects on the spatial structure of cities, suburbanization, and welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey Brinkman & Jeffrey Lin, 2024. "Freeway Revolts! The Quality of Life Effects of Highways," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 106(5), pages 1268-1284, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:106:y:2024:i:5:p:1268-1284
    DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_01244
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jaworski, Taylor, 2020. "Specification and structure in economic history," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Krekel, Christian & Rode, Johannes & Roth, Alexander, 2023. "Do wind turbines have adverse health impacts," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121311, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Weidner, Martin & Zylkin, Thomas, 2021. "Bias and consistency in three-way gravity models," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Nehiba, Cody & Tyndall, Justin, 2023. "Highways and pedestrian deaths in US neighborhoods," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    5. Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Baako, Kingsley Tetteh & Mintah, Kwabena & Zhang, Quanda, 2021. "Transport infrastructure and house prices in the long run," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1-12.
    6. Glaeser, Edward L. & Ponzetto, Giacomo A.M., 2018. "The political economy of transportation investment," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 4-26.
    7. Gerard H Dericks & Hans R A Koster, 2021. "The billion pound drop: the Blitz and agglomeration economies in London [The economics of density: evidence from the Berlin wall]," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 21(6), pages 869-897.
    8. Nagy, Dávid Krisztián, 2022. "Quantitative economic geography meets history: Questions, answers and challenges," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    9. Albers, Thilo N.H. & Kappner, Kalle, 2023. "Perks and pitfalls of city directories as a micro-geographic data source," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    10. Klein, Alexander, 2023. "From the Manufacturing Belt to the Rust Belt. Spatial Inequalities in the United States: An Interdisciplinary Literature Review," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 657, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    11. Hanlon, W.Walker & Heblich, Stephan, 2022. "History and urban economics," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    12. Ronan C. Lyons & Allison Shertzer & Rowena Gray & David N. Agorastos, 2024. "The Price of Housing in the United States, 1890-2006," NBER Working Papers 32593, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Albers, Thilo N. H. & Kappner, Kalle, 2022. "Perks and Pitfalls of City Directories as a Micro-Geographic Data Source," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 315, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    14. Gokan,Toshitaka & Kichko,Sergei & Matheson,Jesse A & Thisse,Jacques-François, 2022. "How the rise of teleworking will reshape labor markets and cities?," IDE Discussion Papers 868, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    15. Brian J. Asquith & Margaret C. Bock, 2022. "The Case for Dynamic Cities," Upjohn Working Papers 22-373, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    16. Calamunci, Francesca & Lonsky, Jakub, 2022. "Highway to Hell? Interstate Highway System and Crime," IZA Discussion Papers 15800, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N72 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • N92 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • R42 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government and Private Investment Analysis; Road Maintenance; Transportation Planning

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