Access, the Built Environment, and Behavior

Abstract

Access is an essential component of the built environment that measures the ease of reaching desired destinations; the level of access is a combined result from both land use and transport infrastructure. Other facets of the built environment include density, street design, pedestrian and bike infrastructure, policy, etc. Individual travel behaviour is shaped in part by the built environment, which has implications for both the well-being of individuals, and the sustainability and vitality of a city. The built environment of a city is in a continuous state of change; developments in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and work-from-home (WFH) have the potential to redefine the meaning of the built environment, and access. This chapter discusses the evolving interaction between access, the built environment, and travel and activity patterns, and what these changes would mean for the future of transport.