Transportation and land use outcomes Through a series of studies in Atlanta, Dr. Nelson developed and tested theories on how the land market responds to transit stations. Because Atlanta is viewed by many analysts as the nation's most sprawling metropolitan area, he reasoned that if the market responded positively to the presence and location of transit stations in Atlanta in ways he theorized, one could conclude reasonably that rail transit per se could influence urban form and regional development patterns. Dr. Nelson found that residential neighborhoods of differing incomes valued proximity to neighborhood transit stations positively. He was also the first to confirm statistically that commercial property values rise with respect to transit station proximity and that transit ridership increases when developments are clustered around transit stations. Finally, through his research he found statistical evidence that even in the nation's most sprawled and most automobile-dependent metropolitan area, rail transit influences regional development patterns and in ways that confer important social benefits. Dr. Nelson’s research in these areas helps planners understand the relationship between rail transit and urban form in contemporary metropolitan areas.
Arthur C. Nelson. 1999. "Transit Stations and Commercial Property Values." Journal of Public Transportation, 2(3): 77-96.
Arthur C. Nelson and Thomas Sanchez. 1997. "Influence of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority on Population and Employment Patterns." Transportation Research Record, 1604: 18-25.
Arthur C. Nelson. 1997. Social Benefits of Transit: Case Study of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Transportation Research Record, 1576: 125-131.
Arthur C. Nelson. 1992. "Effects of Heavy-Rail Transit Stations on House Prices With Respect to Neighborhood Income," Transportation Research Record, 1359: 127-132.
Arthur C. Nelson and Susan J. McClesky. 1990. "Elevated Rapid Rail Station Impacts on Single-Family House Values," Transportation Research Record, 1266: 173-180.