Travel patterns have a significant influence on land use and development, particularly with regards to economic activity spatial distribution and availability of land for development. In addition, these impacts of travel patterns also have an impact on the affordability of housing, prices of land, productivity, cost of business, and economic performance; all of which affect the development and use of land (Fortlage, 2017). More specifically, travel patterns influence the urban realm and its quality, in turn influencing the economic use attributable to various pieces of land. Urban areas need efficient transport infrastructure that takes into consideration the travel patterns in order to function.

Indeed, building transport infrastructure around the travel patterns creates additional value by increasing land value and productivity for use and development. Failure to take travel patterns into consideration in land use and development may result in the development of valuable land through non-value generating activities such as free parking. Poor linkage between land use or development and travel patterns also harms the efficiency of land use and development, thus also harming the development of denser areas into more productive economies (Fortlage, 2017). Further, failure to account for land use/development-travel patterns linkages may also result in poor and inefficient infrastructural development.

There are several challenges that may arise in the determination of the cumulative impacts of travel patterns on effective land use and development. Perhaps the most significant challenge is that travel patterns are only of several factors influencing land use and development. In this case, decisions taken by different authorities at local, state, and federal level may influence travel patterns and economic development in different way, making it more difficult to integrate travel patterns into land use and development decision making (Suzuki et al., 2013).

In addition, increasing concerns about urban sprawl and the effect this has on travel patterns makes it more difficult to determine the cumulative effects of travel patterns and transportation. Travel patterns may play an exacerbating role in the combat of urban sprawl-related issues, with resulting housing/job mismatches and suburban congestion. Further, attempts by the authorities to expand highway systems as a way of catering for changing travel patterns may exacerbate the problem of urban sprawl (Suzuki et al., 2013). As a result, it becomes more difficult to determine the impact of travel patterns on the potential productivity of land for development. Moreover, the effect of labor shortages on travel patterns makes it more difficult to determine the cumulative effects of these travel patterns on land productivity.

Travel patterns have affected land use in my community by influencing the development of infrastructure, which has in turn shaped the development of land. The development of infrastructure based on the travel patterns has significantly helped improve the community’s mobility, as well as the accessibility of residential areas and areas with urban sprawl (Cervero, 2013). Further, the community’s mobility has also been influenced directly by the travel patterns and subsequent transportation network layout, along with the service levels offered by increased accessibility to the community. Increased land development has generated further travel in and out of the community, which has in turn led to the construction of new facilities along with the land development. Moreover, the need for new facilities generated by increased travel has also increased accessibility and land development. Travel patterns have, therefore, been a significant influence on the economic growth of the community because of the access to inexpensive land and skilled labor markets due to the development of infrastructure to cater for the travel patterns (Cervero, 2013). It is clear that travel patterns and their effect on land development and use have significantly influenced economic activity in the community, specifically by making the community more attractive for development.