Study: dense neighborhoods reduce driving, gas consumption

Study compares CA households

Steve Hawley, Aug 17, 09.

A recent study from the University of California at Irvine shows that increased neighborhood density results in significant drops in vehicle miles traveled and gasoline consumption, according to Worldchanging.

The study notes, “Comparing two California households that are similar in all respects except residential density, a lower density of 1,000 housing units per square mile…implies an increase of 1,200 miles driven per year…and 65 more gallons of fuel used per household.”

Worldchanging estimates that switching from one home per two acres to about 10 housing units per acre would save 395 gallons of gas per household annually. According to these numbers, “living in a denser neighborhood does as much to reduce your driving as having one fewer person in your household.”

However, the article also notes, “This, of course, is just one study among many. There are some researchers who find that the relationship between density and driving is far more tenuous.”