摘要：The change in commuting time in the process of spatially decentralized development
has generated debates on the commuting impacts of spatial decentralization. Using Atlanta and
Boston as two sizable but contrasting regions, this research compares commuting and urban
spatial structure across space and over time, and examines commuting length increase in relation
to the simultaneous decentralization of employment and residence. The empirical results
indicate that, while decentralized development is unavoidable in growing regions, alternative
decentralization pathways can result in very different transportation outcomes. The relatively
spatially constrained decentralization in Boston results in a shorter commuting time and distance
compared to the much more sprawling Atlanta.
