Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/283230 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
EGC Discussion Papers No. 1096
Publisher: 
Yale University, Economic Growth Center, New Haven, CT
Abstract: 
We propose a theory-inspired measure of the accessibility of a city's center: the size of the surrounding area from which it can be reached within a specific time. Using publicly-available optimal routing software, we compute these "accessibility zones" for the 109 largest American and European cities, separately for cars and public transit commutes. Compared to European cities, US cities are half as accessible via public transit and twice as accessible via cars. Car accessibility zones are always larger than public transit zones, making US cities more accessible overall. However, US cities' car orientation comes at the cost of less green space, more congestion, and worse health and pollution externalities.
Subjects: 
city traffic
commuting
local public transport
road traffic
local transport policy
Europe
USA
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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