In this paper, an assessment is made of the relationship between selected aspects of spatial proximity (density, diversity, minimum commuting distance, jobs-housing balance and job accessibility) and reported commuting distances in Flanders (Belgium). Results show that correlations may depend on the considered trip end. For example, a high residential density, a high degree of spatial diversity and a high level of job accessibility are all associated with a short commute by residents, while a high job density is associated with a long commute by employees. A jobs-housing balance close to one is associated with a short commute, both by residents and by employees. In general, it appears that the alleged sustainability benefits of the compact city model are still valid in a context of continuously expanding commuting trip lengths.
Keywordscompact city, spatial proximity, commuting, sustainable spatial development, Flanders 2 JEL index numbers R14, R23, R40 1.
To some degree, metropolitan regions owe their existence to the ability to valorize agglomeration economies. The general perception is that agglomeration economies increase with city size, which is why economists tend to propagate urbanization, in this case in the form of metropolization. Contrarily, spatial planners traditionally emphasize the negative consequences of urban growth in terms of liveability, environmental quality, and congestion. Polycentric development models have been proposed as a specific form of metropolization that allow for both agglomeration economies and higher levels of liveability and sustainability. This paper addresses the challenge of how such polycentric development can be achieved in planning practice. We introduce 'agglomeration potential maps' that visualize potential locations in a polycentric metropolitan area where positive agglomeration externalities can be optimized. These maps are utilized in the process of developing a new spatial vision for Flanders' polycentric 'metropolitan core area', commonly known as the Flemish Diamond. The spatial vision aspires to determine where predicted future population growth in the metropolitan core area could best be located, while both optimizing positive agglomeration externalities and maintaining its small-scale morphological character. Based on a literature review of optimum urban-size thresholds and our agglomeration potential maps, we document how such maps contributed to developing this spatial vision for the Flemish metropolitan core area.
Abstract. This paper focuses on regional variations in commuting trip lengths by calculating minimum (required) commuting distances, along with excess commuting rates. The study contributes to the excess commuting research framework from a regional perspective, both by stressing the specific characteristics of urban networks with overlapping commute areas, and by putting forward an alternative method for calculating spatially disaggregated values. A case study in the north of Belgium shows that large variations in minimum commuting distances occur. This in turn identifies to a large extent opportunities for shrinking commuting distances by influences such as rising fuel prices, compact urban planning, extreme congestion or dissuasive traffic policies.JEL classification: R14, R23, R40
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