Speaker
Description
In Metropolitan areas, the demand for high-frequency and high-time-value travel between megacity and its surrounding cities is continuously growing. In 2023, the commuting scale between Shanghai and its neighboring cities reached 155,000 people, with a growth rate exceeding 60% over five years. Due to its geographical location and economic industrial advantages, Suzhou has become the city most closely connected to Shanghai within the Shanghai metropolitan area.
In 2023, the opening of Suzhou's Rail Transit Line 11 and its seamless connection with Shanghai's rail transit network at Huaqiao Station introduced intercity rail transit in the urban area, providing new travel options for residents along the corridor and promoting a corridor growth model favorable to Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). This study aims to explore the impact of the opening of intercity rail lines in the metropolitan area on residents' travel behavior and its mechanisms, and to analyze the transformation of various transportation modes and their connection with rail transit. The findings provide empirical evidence for strategies to promote multimodal transportation integration, reduce traffic carbon emissions, and strengthen TOD development along the corridor.
Based on an analysis of rail transit passenger volume, this study selected four representative stations for field research and conducted a questionnaire survey simultaneously. It analyzed the changes in travel characteristics of residents along the corridor before and after using rail transit. Utilizing the opening of the new line as a natural intervention, and to exclude the influence of other irrelevant factors, the study divided the research subjects into treatment and control groups based on the distance between passengers' origins and destinations and the rail stations. Applying the Difference-in-Differences (DID) method, the study quantified the differentiated impact of the opening of rail transit on residents' travel modes, frequency, and experience.
The findings indicate that following the opening of the new line, the travel activity of residents along the corridor significantly increased, with a strong positive correlation observed between travel frequency and satisfaction. The frequency of non-commute travel increased more prominently compared to commute travel, reflecting that the new line offers a more convenient transportation option for leisure and recreational activities, effectively stimulating the demand for non-commute travel. In terms of commute travel, residents exhibited a relatively higher tolerance for transfer distances. Residents demonstrated diverse choices in transfer modes, with variations in the selection of transfer modes across different time periods, and a relatively higher proportion of walking and cycling during peak hours. The new rail transit line significantly reduced the usage of private cars and taxis, with about 12% of former private car users switching to P+R (Park and Ride) or K+R (Bike and Ride) travel patterns. However, the impact of the new line on intercity rail and non-motorized travel was less pronounced.
This study reveals the significant impact of rail transit on changes in residents' travel behavior and its potential role in reshaping the Shanghai-Suzhou intercity TOD corridor. Rail transit has significantly promoted green travel in the areas along the corridor, effectively reducing traffic carbon emissions by decreasing the use of private cars and taxis. To further enhance the efficiency and service level of the entire transportation system, it is recommended to strengthen the coordinated development of transportation and land use, improve the public transit connection system, optimize the environment for walking and cycling, increase P+R facilities, and intensify the development of areas around stations along the corridor to enhance the passenger attraction capacity of intercity rail transit.
| Keywords | Rail Transit, Travel Behavior, TOD Planning, Transportation Transformation, Carbon Emissions |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
