Study on the Relationship between the Built Environment and High-Income Group Mode of Transportation

Abstract

Considering whether the dependence of high-income groups on car travel can be improved by changing the built environment and based on the survey data of residents’ travel in Xiamen in 2015 and a multinomial logit model, the differences in the influence of the built environment on the travel modes of high-income groups with and without cars, as well as the influence intensity of personal socioeconomic attributes and the built environment on the travel modes, are explored. The key factors that have significant influence on the travel modes of high-income groups and the influence mechanism are analyzed. The results show the following. (1) After controlling other variables, the increase of the mixing degree of population density and land use in traffic communities inhibited the use of cars by high-income groups, but the inhibition effect is weak. Employment density and bus stop density have no significant correlation with the travel mode of high-income groups with cars. (2) The improvement of road network density, parking space density, and greening rate in traffic communities promoted the use of cars by high-income groups with cars. (3) The increase in the density of shopping malls and leisure and entertainment places in the traffic communities promoted the walking level of high-income groups. The plot ratio of a traffic district has no significant correlation with the travel mode of high-income groups. (4) The high-income groups inside the island of Xiamen prefer walking and public transport, while the high-income groups outside the island prefer cars. (5) The influences of the built environment on the travel modes of high-income groups with and without cars are significantly different, and its effect is less than that of individual socioeconomic attributes. The above conclusions provide a reference for improving residents’ travel mode and city planning by optimizing the land-use planning of residential communities of different resident groups.