Transit Oriented Development

How and why should we plan for transit-oriented development?

Transit-oriented development(TOD), the culmination of many concepts of sustainable development and transportation, is about choice. Transit oriented communities, where development is centered around a higher density core, can be better places to live because people have an array of travel options and less dependence on any one way of getting around.(1) "TODs mix residential, retail, office, open space, and public uses in a walkable environment, making it convenient for residents and employees to travel by transit, bicycle, foot, or car."(2)

"People are not simple and we should not attempt to make them so with cities and suburbs that limit their choices. I believe a diverse and inclusionary environment filled with alternative ways of getting around is inherently better than a world of private enclaves dominated by the car."

Peter Calthorpe, author of The Next American Metropolis:
Ecology, Community, and the American Dream

TODs:

  1. Combine land use and transportation decision-making because "the environment in which transit is operated is no less critical to its success than the quality of service that is offered."(3)
  2. Encourage walking, biking, and transit use. The areas around transit stops need to be pedestrian friendly and have destinations within walking distance. Peter Calthorpe, an expert on TODs, recommends keeping development within an average 2000 feet, a comfortable walking distance, of the transit stop.
  3. Demand mixed use and mixed densities to allow for attractive and viable transit stops. A certain density is necessary for transit to be effective(see Public Transit). TODs plan for concentrated density in commercial cores at transit stops surrounded by a mixed use community. Mixed use allows for multiple errands to be achieved at one location, increases the number of trips to any one location, and improves the walkability of the area. One standard for mixed use TODs is 10% of land for public space, 30% core commercial/employment, and 60% housing.
  4. Encourage a sense of place and community by providing nodes of public spaces and destinations within the community. A center of growth breaks the trapped isolation associated with sprawl.

TODs achieve the need for simultaneous planning for land use and transportation. Planning TODs, even without existing transit available, allows for the possibility of adding transit later effectively and more inexpensively, an important part of sustainable transportation.

The uses that should be encouraged in TODs should be those that do not rely entirely on the auto. They should be uses that pedestrians can take advantage of and serve the basic needs of the community. "Up to 75% of all household trips are non-job related. Many of these non-commute trips can be captured within the TOD."(4)

Implementation Opportunities: