Study on Evaluation of Convenience of Access to the Nearest Railway Station by Residents in Housing Development Areas in the Suburbs of Kobe City in Japan - Using Utility-Based Accessibility Measures

抄録

This study aims to measure and evaluate convenience of access by residents to the nearest railway station in housing development areas in the suburbs. Mode choice model for access to the nearest railway station is built employing random utility theory in order to measure accessibility to the station. The results show that accessibility decreases as travel distance to the nearest railway station increases; however, even if the distance to the station is the same, the level of accessibility could be different because of differences in the slopes of routes to the station, or the number of buses in neighborhood districts within each development area. Travel modes needed to maintain accessibility to the nearest railway station, therefore, differ among the districts. It is necessary to increase the level not only of accessibility but also of railway service of the nearest railway station so that residents could utilize railway more frequently.