Measuring transit areas of influence via amenity change

Abstract

The influence area of transit-oriented development (TOD) is a spatial area where transit stations significantly influence land use and development, guiding decisions related to private and public investments and services within TOD. This range is typically defined using rules of thumb or pedestrian-based measures, which do not directly reflect changes in investment and development and thus may not accurately capture the true areas of TOD’s influence on the surrounding urban environment. Studies have shown the close relationship between amenity and investment and development. This study introduced amenity change as a novel metric for measuring land use and development shift induced by TOD, thus quantifying TOD influence areas. Using spatial panel models, the study assessed the spatial spillover effects of transit stations on amenity changes and developed an algorithm to delineate the local spillover range for each station as TOD influence areas. Shenzhen, a leading example of the “rail + property” development model in China, served as the case study. The findings reveal that subway stations exhibit significant direct and spillover effects on amenity distribution, with a distance-decay pattern; TOD influence typically extends up to 1.25 km from stations. Besides, TOD influence areas, delineated by observed amenity changes, can be clustered into three distinct zones—core, surrounding, and outer—that align with Shenzhen’s spatial structure. Moreover, core zones exhibit a high concentration of advanced amenities such as professional, healthcare, and finance services; outer zones show limited amenity growth, while surrounding zones demonstrate strong development potential. This study provides a transferable approach for defining TOD influence areas from a socio-spatial transformation perspective, while also highlighting the importance to incorporate spatial justice and targeted regulatory measures into TOD planning and governance.