Abstract
Rail transit has been touted as a way to enhance livability, quality of life or satisfaction with life (SWL). However, the connections between transit and SWL are mainly conceptual, and little empirical evidence is available in the literature. Using the Hiawatha line in Minneapolis as a case, this study develops structural equations models on a 2011 dataset to explore the impacts of light rail transit (LRT) on SWL. We corroborate that the Hiawatha LRT positively influences SWL through enhanced access to different activities, and through improved transit service, enhanced accessibility, and their impacts on satisfaction with travel. The size of the impacts is marginal.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 921-933 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Transportation |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2013 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgments The study was funded by the Transitway Impact Research Program (TIRP) in the Twin Cities. Jessica Schoner helped with survey administration.
Keywords
- Land use
- Light rail transit
- Quality of life
- Subjective well-being
- Sustainability
- Travel
