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Does Generalizing Density Functions Better Explain Urban Commuting? Some Evidence from the Los Angeles Region

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  • Song, Shunfeng

Abstract

The assumption that urban workers economize on commuting is implicit in urban economic theory. Yet it has been challenged by some recent studies. This paper estimates commute flows implied by three urban density functions: monocentric, polycentric, and dispersive. It finds that an urban density function better predicting the actual spatial patterns also better explains the actual commuting behavior. This finding helps us to preserve the assumption that urban workers make attempts to economize on commuting in their location choices.

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  • Song, Shunfeng, 1994. "Does Generalizing Density Functions Better Explain Urban Commuting? Some Evidence from the Los Angeles Region," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt353631r6, University of California Transportation Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:uctcwp:qt353631r6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Suh, Seoung Hwan, 1990. "Wasteful commuting: An alternative approach," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 277-286, November.
    2. Small, Kenneth A & Song, Shunfeng, 1992. ""Wasteful" Commuting: A Resolution," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(4), pages 888-898, August.
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    5. Shunfeng Song, 1994. "Modelling Worker Residence Distribution in the Los Angeles Region," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 31(9), pages 1533-1544, November.
    6. Small Kenneth A. & Song Shunfeng, 1994. "Population and Employment Densities: Structure and Change," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 292-313, November.
    7. E Heikkila & P Gordon & J I Kim & R B Peiser & H W Richardson & D Dale-Johnson, 1989. "What Happened to the CBD-Distance Gradient?: Land Values in a Policentric City," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 21(2), pages 221-232, February.
    8. P Gordon & H W Richardson & H L Wong, 1986. "The Distribution of Population and Employment in a Polycentric City: The Case of Los Angeles," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 18(2), pages 161-173, February.
    9. White, M.J., 1988. "Urban Commuting Journeys Are Not Wasteful," Papers 88-10, Michigan - Center for Research on Economic & Social Theory.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhuo Chen & Seong-Hoon Cho & Neelam Poudyal & Roland K. Roberts, 2009. "Forecasting Housing Prices under Different Market Segmentation Assumptions," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(1), pages 167-187, January.
    2. Vincent Viguié, 2015. "Cross-commuting and housing prices in a polycentric modeling of cities," Policy Papers 2015.03, FAERE - French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.

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