The Residents’ Benefits and Concerns Before and After a New Rail Stop Do Residents Get What They Expect?

• Published in: Environment and behavior Vol. 43; no. 6; pp. 789 - 806
• Main Authors: Brown, Barbara B., Werner, Carol M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.11.2011; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Cities; Crime prevention; Diversity; Economics; Expectation; Housing; Lakes; Land use; Neighborhoods; Neighbourhoods; Pedestrian areas; Pedestrians; Perception; Perceptions; Plugs; Public transport; Rails; Residence; Safety; Salt; Stores; Value; Walking; United States > US; Salt Lake City Utah; USA, Utah, Salt Lake City; perceived walkability; transit-oriented development; neighborhood revitalization; walking barriers and supports
• ISSN: 0013-9165; 1552-390X
• DOI: 10.1177/0013916510392030

Transit-oriented developments are touted as providing a variety of social benefits, but personal benefits to residents are underresearched. The authors surveyed 51 residents before and after a new light rail stop was constructed in their revitalizing Salt Lake City neighborhood. Residents anticipated and then later experienced increased housing and neighborhood economic values, enhanced sense of community, and improved neighborhood reputation. Residents experienced greater than anticipated pedestrian and child safety after rail service started. Compared with resident perceptions of walkable neighborhoods elsewhere, the Salt Lake residents perceived their neighborhood to be denser, and offering less land-use diversity and more crime safety problems. Perceived walkability increased, with residents reporting greater land-use diversity and neighborhood satisfaction after rail stop completion. However, residents said more stores, parks and trails, and trees would improve walkability. These results show the personal benefits residents desire to make transit-oriented living a satisfying residential alternative.