Evaluation of Synergy between Urban Rail Transit and Land Use in Station Areas and Analysis of Spatial Differentiation Characteristics: The Case in Changsha, China

Evaluating the synergy between urban rail transit (URT) and land use will help further improve and optimize the structure of the transportation network, station area supporting facilities, and the overall spatial layout of the city. Previous studies do not sufficiently consider the geographic location conditions of specific stations and cannot effectively reflect the spatial differentiation characteristics of each station type. Moreover, few studies have analyzed cities where rail transit and urban development are in a period of rapid growth. Considering that URT station areas have node and place characteristics, a node–place model, a coupling coordination degree model, and an exploratory spatial data analysis model were constructed to evaluate the collaborative development level of URT and land use in station areas and fill the gaps. Taking the 42 stations of Changsha Metro lines 1 and 2 in China as a case study, the development status of each station area and the spatial heterogeneity of the synergy were quantitatively analyzed in accordance with five station types. The validity of the model was verified based on the multisource data. Empirical results showed that the overall synergy level of Changsha Metro lines 1 and 2 grows from 2018 to 2022, and most of the stations are in a state of dependence and balance. However, some stations demonstrate an imbalanced tendency. Visualization of the empirical results using ArcMap software revealed that the synergy of URT and station area land use has spatial differentiation characteristics and agglomeration effects. Therefore, the formulation and implementation of effective transit-oriented development strategies by relevant authorities in a categorized manner is recommended according to the different degrees of synergy between URT and land use in each station area.