The Assessment of the Impact of the Subway Stations Opening on Urban Vibrancy in Warsaw

Andrii Polishchuk, Monika Maria Cysek-Pawlak and Aleksander Serafin ()
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Andrii Polishchuk: Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, 93-590 Lodz, Poland
Monika Maria Cysek-Pawlak: Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, 93-590 Lodz, Poland
Aleksander Serafin: Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, 93-590 Lodz, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-17

Abstract: This study investigates how the expansion of Warsaw’s metro system—specifically the opening of the second underground line (M2)—affects urban vibrancy, defined as the diversity and intensity of social, economic, and cultural activities. Using a spatial panel Difference-in-Differences (DiD) model with two-way fixed effects, the analysis examines changes in local vibrancy, proxied by the density of small catering businesses (SCB), across four years (2019–2023). Our results show that while built environment features such as building footprint, parking area, and street furniture positively correlate with vibrancy, the short-term effect of new metro stations is negative: areas within a 15 min walking distance of new stations experienced a relative decline in local activity compared to control areas. This pattern likely reflects a behavioral shift, as residents and consumers increasingly use the metro to access amenities in central, already vibrant districts. However, the effect attenuates over time, suggesting that neighborhoods gradually adapt to new mobility conditions. The findings highlight that large-scale transport investments may generate temporary disruptions before fostering long-term equilibrium and renewed urban vitality, underscoring the need for adaptive urban policies that mitigate transitional impacts and support local socio-economic resilience.

Keywords: urban planning; urban vibrancy; sustainable development; small catering businesses; policy assessment; spatial difference-in-difference (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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