diff --git a/activitysim/estimation/larch/location_choice.py b/activitysim/estimation/larch/location_choice.py
index fd61aea3d..bade2ef35 100644
--- a/activitysim/estimation/larch/location_choice.py
+++ b/activitysim/estimation/larch/location_choice.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Collection
+import pickle
+from datetime import datetime
 
 import numpy as np
 import pandas as pd
@@ -46,6 +48,8 @@ def location_choice_model(
     settings_file="{name}_model_settings.yaml",
     landuse_file="{name}_landuse.csv",
     return_data=False,
+    alt_values_to_feather=False,
+    chunking_size=None,
 ):
     model_selector = name.replace("_location", "")
     model_selector = model_selector.replace("_destination", "")
@@ -59,12 +63,42 @@ def _read_csv(filename, **kwargs):
         filename = filename.format(name=name)
         return pd.read_csv(os.path.join(edb_directory, filename), **kwargs)
 
+    def _read_feather(filename, **kwargs):
+        filename = filename.format(name=name)
+        return pd.read_feather(os.path.join(edb_directory, filename), **kwargs)
+
+    def _to_feather(df, filename, **kwargs):
+        filename = filename.format(name=name)
+        return df.to_feather(os.path.join(edb_directory, filename), **kwargs)
+
+    def _read_pickle(filename, **kwargs):
+        filename = filename.format(name=name)
+        return pd.read_pickle(os.path.join(edb_directory, filename))
+
+    def _to_pickle(df, filename, **kwargs):
+        filename = filename.format(name=name)
+        return df.to_pickle(os.path.join(edb_directory, filename))
+
+    def _file_exists(filename):
+        filename = filename.format(name=name)
+        return os.path.exists(os.path.join(edb_directory, filename))
+
     coefficients = _read_csv(
         coefficients_file,
         index_col="coefficient_name",
     )
     spec = _read_csv(spec_file, comment="#")
-    alt_values = _read_csv(alt_values_file)
+
+    # read alternative values either as csv or feather file
+    alt_values_fea_file = alt_values_file.replace(".csv", ".fea")
+    if os.path.exists(
+        os.path.join(edb_directory, alt_values_fea_file.format(name=name))
+    ):
+        alt_values = _read_feather(alt_values_fea_file)
+    else:
+        alt_values = _read_csv(alt_values_file)
+        if alt_values_to_feather:
+            _to_feather(df=alt_values, filename=alt_values_fea_file)
     chooser_data = _read_csv(chooser_file)
     landuse = _read_csv(landuse_file, index_col="zone_id")
     master_size_spec = _read_csv(size_spec_file)
@@ -152,7 +186,48 @@ def _read_csv(filename, **kwargs):
 
     chooser_index_name = chooser_data.columns[0]
     x_co = chooser_data.set_index(chooser_index_name)
-    x_ca = cv_to_ca(alt_values.set_index([chooser_index_name, alt_values.columns[1]]))
+
+    def split(a, n):
+        k, m = divmod(len(a), n)
+        return (a[i * k + min(i, m) : (i + 1) * k + min(i + 1, m)] for i in range(n))
+
+    # process x_ca with cv_to_ca with or without chunking
+    x_ca_pickle_file = "{name}_x_ca.pkl"
+    if chunking_size == None:
+        x_ca = cv_to_ca(
+            alt_values.set_index([chooser_index_name, alt_values.columns[1]])
+        )
+    elif _file_exists(x_ca_pickle_file):
+        # if pickle file from previous x_ca processing exist, load it to save time
+        time_start = datetime.now()
+        x_ca = _read_pickle(x_ca_pickle_file)
+        print(
+            f"x_ca data loaded from {name}_x_ca.fea - time elapsed {(datetime.now() - time_start).total_seconds()}"
+        )
+    else:
+        time_start = datetime.now()
+        # calculate num_chunks based on chunking_size (or max number of rows per chunk)
+        num_chunks = int(len(alt_values) / chunking_size)
+        all_person_ids = list(alt_values["person_id"].unique())
+        split_ids = list(split(all_person_ids, num_chunks))
+        x_ca_list = []
+        i = 0
+        for chunk_ids in split_ids:
+            alt_values_i = alt_values[alt_values["person_id"].isin(chunk_ids)]
+            x_ca_i = cv_to_ca(
+                alt_values_i.set_index([chooser_index_name, alt_values_i.columns[1]])
+            )
+            x_ca_list.append(x_ca_i)
+            print(
+                f"\rx_ca_i compute done for chunk {i}/{num_chunks} - time elapsed {(datetime.now() - time_start).total_seconds()}"
+            )
+            i = i + 1
+        x_ca = pd.concat(x_ca_list, axis=0)
+        # save final x_ca result as pickle file to save time for future data loading
+        _to_pickle(df=x_ca, filename=x_ca_pickle_file)
+        print(
+            f"x_ca compute done - time elapsed {(datetime.now() - time_start).total_seconds()}"
+        )
 
     if CHOOSER_SEGMENT_COLUMN_NAME is not None:
         # label segments with names