Constraints or Freedom? Relationships between Destination Accessibility and Activity Spaces

The area of an individual’s daily activity space may be constrained by difficulties traveling long distances or by proximity advantages in dense areas that reduce the need to travel far from home. Using travel diary data from 327 individuals in Granada, Spain for both a weekday and a weekend, this study examine the relationship between activity space areas and destination accessibility by car and non-car modes. We find that lower accessibility is associated with smaller activity spaces on weekdays, while weekend activity space areas are better explained by household resources. We interpret these patterns using a constraints-versus-freedom lens.