Urban Form and Travel Behavior

Abstract

One of the major contributors to climate change is transportation. It is an important emitter of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide which has been rising rapidly in the last two decades. Understanding how travel behavior is affected by urban form contributes to an urban land-use planning in order to achieve a more sustainable transport. This study intends to investigate the influence of urban form on individual travel behavior and to examine the causal mechanism between them. The Bangkok Metropolitan Area is selected (BMA) as the case study area due to the lack of knowledge and understanding of this issue in developing countries. The primary source material of this study is an investigation of travel behavior among residents of two selected districts. Urban form was found related to travel behavior. Residents of the inner district, with a large share of commercial area, a high population and employment density, and a high access to public transport, travelled less distance and dominantly rely on non-motorized transport. Besides, urban form was found to be a contributor of a causal mechanism. The major contribution of this study is that it reveals how people select activity location and transport modes which are crucial when considering any transport-related policy.