Public Transportation and Residential Location Choice

Abstract

In this thesis, I develop and apply a structural framework to analyze the impacts of public transportation infrastructure expansions. In the second chapter, we incorporate rapid transportation access into an equilibrium residential location model and estimate the model with microdata from Vancouver. Simulating an expansion of Vancouver's rapid transportation network, we find dwelling prices increase in both newly connected neighbourhoods and neighbourhoods with pre-existing access to the network. In the third chapter, I develop and estimate a model of households simultaneously choosing their commute mode and residential location. Using geographic information system (GIS) data, I calculate public transportation times between each neighbourhood. Using the estimated model, I simulate households' residential and commute mode choices under counterfactual public transportation times, and analyze the changes in public transportation use, travel time, and consumer surplus across income groups.