Exploring the Spatially Heterogeneous Effects of Urban Built Environment on Road Travel Time Variability

Abstract

Most studies of road travel time estimation have been based on traffic-flow theory or data-driven methods and generally neglect the influence of urban built environment on road travel time. A global regression model and a geographically weighted regression model were thus established to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of the effects of urban built environment on road travel time. The estimated results of the global regression model indicate that the occupancy rate of taxis, the distance from the nearest intersection, and the speed limit show positive correlations with a road’s travel speed, whiles the number of bus stops and the distance from the nearest school show negative associations with the travel speed of the road. Furthermore, based on the results of the geographically weighted regression model, the spatially varying relationships between urban built environment and road travel time can be established, thus providing important information for decision-makers to reduce road travel time by adjusting the attributes of urban built environment.