How does traffic, or the fear of it, affect housing affordability? Examining the effect of Traffic Impact Analysis on Housing Production and Affordability

Abstract

Traffic impact analysis (TIA), which estimates the traffic impacts of proposed land development, tends to bias against higher density developments in urban areas where traffic is often congested and travel alternatives plentiful. This has important implications for housing supply and affordability, suburban sprawl, and private vehicle dependence. We examine the understudied implication of TIA on housing by drawing on empirical evidence from distinct bodies of research in the transportation and land use planning literatures to describe the mechanisms through which TIA may affect housing market conditions. We conclude that TIAs likely have negative effects on urban housing production and affordability.

About the Project

For decades evaluation of the benefits and costs of new- or re- development in urban areas has centered on the effects of development on nearby traffic flows. Historically, and in […]