Border effect in metropolitan area with household travel survey data

Metropolitan area consist of cities with various sizes separated by administrative borders. Urbanization and motorization make people's daily cross-border travel become normal. However, the function of transportation system and effect in these areas still need quantitative analysis with well explanation, as the integration across these areas may be separated by the administrative borders to some extent. With household travel survey data and population/job data in Tokyo metropolitan area, this research utilize two types of gravity model to quantitatively assess the spatial characteristics of transportation and border effect. One considers both transportation impedance and latent factors (reflecting policies, cultural, and economic activities), and the other deals with only these latent factors. Comparing these models, the results reveal the border effects between Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures. Three main types of border effect from the aspects of economy, geography, and geo-policy are identified, each closely associated with specific transportation and socioeconomic characteristics that significantly influence residents' commuting patterns.