Dynamics of Urban Change

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Urban dynamics try to evaluate the main components initiating or being affected by changes in an urban area. Among the numerous factors in urban dynamics, transportation is of high significance as it is often expected that investments in transportation will have positive economic consequences that may even feedback into future transport investments (as indicated on the above figure). Transport investments are expected to improve the accessibility of passengers and freight, which in turn will improve the overall performance of a regional economy. Even if strong associations can be identified between transport improvements and economic (and spatial) changes, stating a causality is conceptually inaccurate. For this reason alone, understanding urban dynamics remains a complex and uncertain task.

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Transportation-Land Use Interactions

Changes in transportation technology, investment and service characteristics can alter overall accessibility levels as well as the relative accessibility of different locations. Land use changes also affect activity patterns. Of special importance are the changes in trip generation, both for passenger and freight. Trip patterns may change in a number of ways: number of trips, timing of trips, origin-destination patterns, mode, and trip chaining. These changes in travel demand exert considerable influence on the development of new transportation infrastructure or services.

"You can start with land use, or you can start with transportation; in either case, the basic feedback lead inevitably to a hierarchy of central places and transportation links connecting them" [Moore and Thorsnes, 1994].