Rail Transit Investments, Real Estate Values, and Land Use Change: A Comparative Analysis of Five California Rail Transit Systems

Transportation systems are the glue that binds together American cities. From the first boulevard, through the horse-drawn streetcars of the 19th Century, through the electric trolleys of the early 1900s, to the freeways of the post-World War II era, transportation investments have long played a defining role in guiding the growth and development of metropolitan areas. What is today called the “transportation-land use connection†has been the object of study by geographers and economists for more than 150 years, and the focus of attention for developers and speculators for even longer.