Is population decentralization lengthening commuting distances?

Abstract

This study questions the conventional wisdom about how commuting distances change when workers migrate from metropolitan to nonmetropolitan areas. It does not appear that decentralization yields a more energy-intensive configuration of residences and job locations: we find no indication that this migration lengthens the aggregate distance that workers commute. Some migrants do commute long distances, but their numbers are offset by many more who end up closer to their jobs. Our findings relate to two contrasting views ("sprawl" and "nucleation") of how workers are becoming repositioned in relation to their jobs as settlement patterns change; the latter view appears more realistic. We briefly discuss policy implications pertaining to alternative transportation modes for commuting, setting priority travel needs in an energy emergency, and telecommunications as a substitute for commuting.

Cities as Organisms: Allometric Scaling of Urban Road Networks

“…Even in the case of partially decentralized cities, congestion is highest among the largest U.S. cities (Schrank et al 2005; but see Morrison and Abrahamse 1983). Congestion, in turn, has led to the emergence of polycentrism to sustain continuous growth.…”

Migration Consequences for Household Energy Consumption in a Nonmetropolitan Recreation‐Retirement Area1

“…One might expect, for example, that a dispersed rural population would drive more and thus use more gasoline. Although data for the 1960s and the 1970s show that nonmetropolitan areas did consume more gasoline per capita (Zelinsky andSly 1981, 1984), other research shows that nonmetropolitan workers commute shorter distances to work (Bowles and Beale 1980) and that the commuting distances are not increased by the new migrations (Morrison and Abrahamse 1983). Less is known about electricity or space heating consumption by residence.…”