Graduation Semester and Year

2017

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Public Policy

Department

Urban and Public Affairs

First Advisor

Ardeshir Anjomani

Abstract

Dependency on the automobile in the United States has been associated with many urban problems, such as urban sprawl, traffic congestion, air pollution, etc. As the use of automobiles increases, negative externalities also increase. As a result, many American cities have seen a rebound of public transportation systems—many of which have built modern rail transit systems to mitigate the negative impacts of higher dependency on automobiles, to improve mobility and accessibility for commuters, to offer alternative to drivers, to shape development patterns, and to increase economic growth. This rebound of rail transit systems has caused apparent shifts in economic, social, and spatial aspects of neighborhoods located in proximity to rail stations, but negative impacts may still also occur. This study investigates the changes in housing value, racial make-up, and population density between 2000 and 2014 in 454 block groups within a one-mile buffer around rail stations located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, specifically in the four counties served by the passenger rail transit systems (Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties). This study begins with a comparison of economic, social, and spatial changes between 2000 and 2014 in the block groups within a one-mile radius around rail stations. It also compares the changes in block groups within a one-mile radius to the remainder of the block groups within the four counties served by rail transit systems (2610 block groups). This is followed by running regression models with the data on the block groups located within the one-mile buffer around rail stations to understand the relationships between the selected independent variables and the dependent variables. Data was collected from many sources and analyzed by different techniques, such as ArcGIS and SPSS, to answer the research questions in order to suggest some solutions for increasing housing value, population density, and attracting a more diverse population to the study area. Several of the results are surprising. Within the block groups around rail stations, changes in median housing value and the number of white residents are greater than the rest of block groups within the four counties. However, changes in total population, population density, the number of black, Hispanic, college educated, and civil employed residents, plus the number of jobs per block group, are greater within the block groups located beyond the one-mile buffer, especially toward outlying areas. The basic results of the regression models of the data related to block groups located within a one-mile radius around rail stations show that, during the study period, closer block groups to rail stations experienced an increase in the number of white residents, a decrease in housing value, and a decrease in population density, compared to block groups located farther away from stations. These findings are a useful addition to the existing literature and represent a contribution to the field of urban planning. In addition, urban planners and policymakers should adopt some policy implications for furthering the success of rail transit systems in the DFW area, increasing the transit usage, and sustaining station area development. Policymakers should promote transit-oriented development (TOD) with good urban design, improve rail transit coverage and quality, and alleviate negative externalities associated with rail transit stations.

Keywords

Rail transit, Accessibility, Rail station, Housing value, Racial make-up, Population density, Block group

Disciplines

Public Affairs | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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