Mapping Walking Accessibility, Bus Availability, and Car Dependence: A Case Study of Xiamen, China
As stated in the existing literature, travel behavior and transportation choice are closely related to urban forms and the built environment. The study presented in this chapter attempts to conduct a citywide evaluation of the walking accessibility to urb
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Mapping Walking Accessibility, Bus Availability, and Car Dependence: A Case Study of Xiamen, China Hui Wang
Abstract As stated in the existing literature, travel behavior and transportation choice are closely related to urban forms and the built environment. The study presented in this chapter attempts to conduct a citywide evaluation of the walking accessibility to urban facilities and the availability of public transport, as well as relevant potential car dependence. By taking the city of Xiamen, China, as a case study, the current study generates some useful information vis-a`-vis both public transport and urban facility providers, by illustrating the city’s spatial patterns and identifying problematic areas. The methodology developed in this study might also serve as a reference for future studies. Keywords Sustainable transportation • Walking accessibility • Bus availability • Car dependence • Xiamen
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Introduction
Newman and Kenworthy’s (1989) phrase “car dependence/automobile dependence” has been frequently used in the travel behavior, transport planning, traffic management, and urban policy-making literature. Although no common definition for this term has been agreed upon to date, it might be briefly described as characterizing “a high level of physical need or/and mental demand for car transport.” Car dependence is associated with a range of environmental, economic, and social problems. In general, an increase in car dependence can worsen the
H. Wang (*) Department of Urban Planning, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China Cross-Straits Institute of Urban Planning at Xiamen University, Xiamen University, 361005 Xiamen, China e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] M. Kawakami et al. (eds.), Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development: Approaches 249 for Achieving Sustainable Urban Form in Asian Cities, Strategies for Sustainability, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5922-0_14, # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
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transportation structure of cities, retard the construction of green transportation systems, intensify oil vulnerability, create a shortage of urban land and infrastructure, aggravate environmental stress, and contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Additionally, it can also result in a loss of street life and community, suburban isolation, access problems for carless people, and health problems among car drivers. Compared to other forms of transportation, car traffic has the highest cost and lowest efficiency and creates the most pollution—including the highest volumes of GHG emissions per passenger. Therefore, it is generally suggested that car transport be ranked the least preferred form in terms of “greening” urban transportation systems (CNU 2000; Huang 2004; Pan, et al. 2008; China Society of Urban Studies 2009). A city cannot be considered “sustainable” if it is cardependent (Newman and Kenworthy 2000), and researchers use words such as “reducing,” “overcoming,” “combating,” and “abandoning” in their work, to distinctly express their opposition to
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