Exploring Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) frameworks for commercial agglomeration around rail stations: a case study of Chengdu, China

This research investigates the role of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in shaping commercial agglomeration in Chengdu’s rail station areas. By employing centrality indicators, spatial regression analysis, and site observations, we analyze the evolution of Chengdu’s rail network and the spatial distribution of commercial facilities in station areas from 2012 to 2022. Findings: 1) Chengdu’s rail network has exhibited increasingly complex characteristics, while the pattern of commercial agglomeration has shifted from a monocentric to a polycentric structure. 2) The density of commercial facilities in station areas shows a significant positive correlation with closeness centrality (CC) and eigenvector centrality (EC), but a negative correlation with betweenness centrality (BC), Functional mixed entropy. 3) The strengthening of the correlation between agglomeration and centrality indicators a transition from demand-driven to transit-induced development patterns. These findings provide critical insights for optimizing TOD strategies to promote balanced urban growth and targeted commercial clustering.