Close, but how Close? Understanding Proximity Perceptions of Public Transport Construction Sites

Construction of public transport infrastructure often disrupts daily life, but the extent of its perceived impact depends on residents’ subjective proximity to it. In 2018, Montreal began building the Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM), a 67-km grade separated light rail network. Using 2022 survey data (N = 4,065), we model how residents define being “near” to the project’s construction from their home, work, and school locations. Results show that perceived closeness to construction varies by context, sociodemographic characteristics, and mode-use patterns. Our findings can help better understand people’s perceptions of proximity to construction sites, which can spatially direct mitigation measures.