Citation

Mees P. World Transp. Policy Pract. 2009; 15(2): 29-42.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Eco-Logica)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The relationship between population density and the share of travel by different modes has been a mainstay of the transport and urban planning literature, with mode split generally regarded as an outcome of density. As a result, the most popular recipe for mode shift away from the automobile is the 'compact city', or 'smart growth' as it is called in the United States. This paper questions the assumptions behind the compact city recipe for mode shift, by re- examining the historic and contemporary evidentiary basis for it. Interestingly, increasing city densities was originally advocated as a way to facilitate, rather than reduce, the dominance of the car.