An Application of the Node Place Model to Explore the Interactive Mechanism Between Rail Stations and Urban Functions--A Comprehensive Analysis and a Case Study in Guangzhou

Abstract

In the recent two decades, transit-oriented development (TOD) has been applied to deal with multiple traffic problems. To alleviate the urban traffic pressure, the Chinese government aims to establish rail transit in numerous cities, including the traditional rail, metro rail, light rail, and high-speed rail (HSR). Based on the notion of TOD, the balance of transport service and urban development is important for the TOD railway station. To explore the interaction mechanism between railway stations and surrounding area, this paper focuses on the coordinated evaluation of the interaction using the mode-place model. In the first part, a literature review is done to explore the overall interactive effects between node and place and the mode-place model applied to rail stations in Tokyo, Korea, and Shanghai. In general, there is a robust relationship between the transport service and the urban development of surrounding areas, and this interaction is affected by the location of rail stations. Furthermore, the application of this model not only corroborates these effects but also provides insight into the future development of rail stations. In the second part, the node place model is used to assess the node and place development of Guangzhou metro stations. The result shows that location, functional characteristics, and government planning play essential roles in the station area development.