2013 Session: 787

• Association Between Light Rail Transit and Satisfaction with Travel and Life: Evidence from Twin Cities
  Abstract: Rail transit has been touted as an effective way to enhance livability, quality of life or satisfaction with life (SWL). However, the connections between transit and SWL are mainly conceptual, and little empirical evidence is available in the literature. Using the Hiawatha line in Minneapolis as a case, this study explores the impacts of light rail transit (LRT) on SWL. We conclude that the Hiawatha LRT influences SWL through enhanced access to different activities, and through improved transit service and their impacts on satisfaction with travel. However, the size of the impacts is not substantial.
  Authors: Cao, Xinyu
  Authors: Cao, Xinyu
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-0287
• Access and Outcomes: Transportation, Location, and Subjective Well-being
  Abstract: Promoting access—by increasing proximity to opportunities and providing transportation resources—is a fundamental goal of urban planning. However, there has been little study of how access contributes to individuals’ evaluation of their quality of life, or subjective well-being (SWB). This study utilizes data from the Gallup/Healthways Well-Being Index, a survey on a broad range of topics including SWB. I added questions about transportation. Moreover, I merged in much data on subjects’ locations. I utilize OLS regression and find that, all else equal, the important contributors to SWB are age (SWB highest in the young and old), physical health (+), emotional health (+), income and wealth (+), female gender (+), employment (the unemployed are least happy), social time (+), religiosity (+), and Hispanic or African-American ethnicity (+). These relationships are in line with the literature. Transportation resources, including the ability to walk, vehicle ownership, and location near a rail transit station are positively and significantly associated with SWB. However, characteristics of the metropolitan area transportation system (including freeway congestion) are not significant. Proximity is less important than transportation. Subjects’ distances from the nearest central business district and the presence of nearby jobs and shopping have little measurable relationship with SWB. Local population density is negatively associated with SWB. The presence of leisure and cultural activities in subjects’ metropolitan area is not related to SWB, calling into question the access benefits of big city life. The general lack of significance for location-related variables suggests that physical surroundings are of limited import.
  Authors: Morris, Eric A.
  Authors: Morris, Eric A.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-0358
• Travel Time and Subjective Well-Being
  Abstract: This paper explored the relative impacts of commute time on two different measures of subjective well-being (SWB) using Gallup-Healthways survey data. Two different measures of SWB – a comprehensive measure of overall well-being and whether people experienced happiness for most of the day yesterday – are analyzed to address different aspects of SWB. The first measure takes a global view of SWB encompassing both experienced and remembered utility, and the second measure looks at SWB as experienced utility dealing with feelings of happiness. Using a series of regression models, commute time was found to be significant and negatively related to both the global evaluation of SWB as well as an experiential feeling of happiness measure of SWB. Because this study uses four years of well-being data in the United States, these results provide robust support that commute time does have a significant role in determining well-being in this country. The analysis also finds a strong correlation between commute time and congestion, which suggests policies to effectively reduce congestion can be one method of improving SWB for many people at once.
  Authors: Choi, Janet; Coughlin, Joseph F.; D'Ambrosio, Lisa A.
  Authors: Choi, Janet; Coughlin, Joseph F.; D'Ambrosio, Lisa A.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-3347
• Assessing Transportation Needs of Low-Mobility Individuals in Cache County, Utah
  Abstract: Older adults, low-income individuals, and individuals with disabilities are generally considered “low-mobility” individuals, having less access to transportation options and often marginalized in the social environment of the community. This study assessed the transportation needs of low-mobility individuals using three dimensions: i) travel characteristics, ii) social strength in terms of transportation assistance received from their social networks, and iii) accessibility to public transportation. A mixed survey method combining an in-person interview at the collaborating organizations and a mail-back survey were used to survey the low-mobility individuals living in Cache County, Utah. The results indicated a positive relationship between transportation mode choices and social dependence with family and friends. Individuals with stronger family social ties were more likely to receive adequate help meeting their transportation needs. The accessibility analysis revealed that low-mobility individuals in Cache County, Utah, have difficulties accessing transit due to the long walking distances from their residences. These findings suggest the need for improving public transportation and paratransit services to meet low-mobility individuals’ transportation needs.
  Authors: Jansuwan, Sarawut; Christensen, Keith; Chen, Anthony
  Authors: Jansuwan, Sarawut; Christensen, Keith; Chen, Anthony
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-4488
• Association Between Light Rail Transit and Satisfaction with Travel and Life: Evidence from Twin Cities
  Authors: Cao, Xinyu
  Authors: Cao, Xinyu
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-0287
• Access and Outcomes: Transportation, Location, and Subjective Well-being
  Authors: Morris, Eric
  Authors: Morris, Eric
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-0358
• Travel Time and Subjective Well-Being
  Authors: Choi, Janet
  Authors: Choi, Janet
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-3347
• Assessing Transportation Needs of Low-Mobility Individuals in Cache County, Utah
  Authors: Jansuwan, Sarawut
  Authors: Jansuwan, Sarawut
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Society
  Session: 787
  Paper Number: 13-4488