The characteristics of NMVs cannot be well understood without discussing their interaction with land use and motorized transport modes, as well as the diverse nature of urban trip-making. More than all other modes, the utility of walking and cycling are dependent on the micro-scale character of neighborhoods and the built environment, which is strongly influenced by investment patterns. Urban transport and land use interact as a complex and self-regulating system, much like ecological or biological systems. The available resources, vehicles, networks, rules of operation, and cost structures can be influenced by policy makers.
Individual travelers make their choices within the constraints provided, based on their own habits.
Land uses, once set into place, act like a genetic code for the future evolution of the city and its mobility system. Changes come slowly once patterns are set in place. The pattern of buildings and transport infrastructure in a neighborhood tells people how to travel, within certain broad choice parameters. Urban form has a major influence on mode choice but also responds to the predominant transport mode in use when a city neighborhood is under development. Cities most dependent on a diverse mix of walking, cycling, and public transport tend to be compact in form and become multi-nucleated as they expand in size, with heterogeneous land use at a small scale, mixing residential, retail, and often some production functions.