Transit-Oriented Development
Number 8 - rev. March 2006
Transit-oriented development (TOD) is compact, mixed use
development near new or existing public transportation infrastructure that
serves housing, transportation and neighborhood goals. Its pedestrian-oriented
design encourages residents and workers to drive their cars less and ride
mass transit more. Some TOD projects are a significant source of non-farebox
revenue for the participating transit agency. This Resource Guide comprises
a collection of internet-based documents that provide background resources
and tools on TOD as well as examples of successful TOD in U.S. urban communities.
Suggestions for additional resources are welcomed.
Overviews
Transit Agencies Seeing Increased Interest in Transit-Oriented and Joint
Development. Federico Cura, August 2003.
News article provides the latest on TOD and joint development activities in
more than a half-dozen US cities.
Source: Passenger Transport, August, 18, 2003: Click
here
for .pdf file
Transit-Oriented Development. GB Arrington, 2003.
A short visual presentation (PowerPoint) of the definition, benefits, and
impacts of TOD. Contrasts transit adjacent design and automobile oriented
transit design to true TOD.
Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff: Click here
for .pdf file (4 MB)
Transit-Oriented Development and Joint Development
in the United States: a Literature Review. Robert Cervero, October 2002.
Organizes research findings on TOD into chapters that cover: definitions;
institutional issues such as collaboration, government and transit agency
roles and community outreach; supportive public policies, including tax policies,
zoning, and long range planning; successful design characteristics; and evaluation
of impacts and benefits.
Source: TCRP Research Results Digest 52: http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_rrd_52.pdf
Transit-Focused Development. Douglas R. Porter, 1997.
Older summary of TOD issues that reviews the transit/land use connection,
the importance of government support for TOD, and station-area development
experience.
Source: TCRP Synthesis 20: http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tsyn20.pdf
Tools, Strategies, & Lessons Learned
Policies and Procedures Guidelines
The Los
Angeles MTA and Charlotte
Area Transit System have adopted transit station area joint
development principles that provide a framework for local governments and
the transit system to encourage and promote TOD, as well as policy guidelines
for the communities to use to help ensure success.
Making the Connection: Transit-Oriented Development and Jobs. Good
Jobs First, March 2006
Examines 25 TOD projects around the country that incorporate significant amount
of affordable housing and/or make a substantial attempt to create good jobs
that can be filled by people from working families.
Source: http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/makingtheconnection.pdf
Hidden in Plain Sight: Capturing the Demand for Housing Near Transit.
Center for Transit-Oriented Development September, 2004
This market assessment study finds there is likely to be significant demand
for housing within a half-mile radius of fixed guideway transit stations over
the next twenty five years. At least a quarter of all new households - 14.6
million households - could be looking for housing in these "transit zones".
Source: http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/pdfs/Ctod_report.pdf
Transit-Oriented Development in the United States: Experiences, Challenges,
and Prospects. Robert Cervero, G.B. Arrington, Jane Smith-Heimer, Robert
Dunphy et al., 2004
Details the TOD institutional landscape, implementation tools, funding and
barriers to TOD, as well as the impacts on ridership and real estate markets.
Offers in depth case studies of TOD in 10 urban areas in the US.
Source: http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_102.pdf
Ten Principles for Successful Development Around Transit. Robert
Dunphy, Deborah Myerson, & Michael Pawlukiewicz, 2003.
Stresses the importance of developing partnerships, establishing market-driven
retail, place-making, getting the parking right, varying residential options,
incorporating buses, attracting corporate participation, etc.
Source: Urban Land Institute web site under Policy Papers: http://www.uli.org
Travel Characteristics of Transit-Oriented Development in California.
Hollie Lund, Robert Cervero & Richard Willson, January 2004.
Data were collected from sites along light, heavy, and commuter rail lines
in California's four major regions. Findings demonstrated that TOD residents,
TOD office workers, and hotel patrons in TODs all use rail transit more frequently
than the average for the same cities. The report provides information on station
characteristics, demographics, employment characteristics, residential location,
commuting cost and transportation incentives for TOD sites.
Sources: http://www.csupomona.edu/~rwwillson/tod/Pictures/TOD2.pdf
http://www.csupomona.edu/~rwwillson/tod/APApres_files/frame.htm
(APA Presentation April 26, 2004)
Transit Agency Partnering in Supporting Development
Around Rail Transit Stations. Roderick Diaz & Christopher Porter,
1999.
Presents seven case studies along with lessons learned that highlight transit
agency partnering to promote TOD. Findings reveal that transit agencies support
TODs through two primary activities - development implementation and station
area planning.
Source: APTA 1999 Commuter Rail/Rapid Transit Conference Proceedings
Paper. Click here for pdf
file
Zoning and Real Estate Implications of Transit-Oriented
Development. 1999.
Covers both the legal elements of TOD policies such as density and use regulations,
transfer of development rights, and procedures for implementing TOD, as well
as the legal basis for TOD, zoning authority, takings, environmental impact
statements, intergovernmental agreements.
Source: TCRP Legal Research Digest 12: http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_lrd_12.pdf
Measuring the Success for Transit-Oriented Development: Retail Market
Dynamics and Other Key Determinants. John Niles & Dick Nelson, 1999.
Outlines 16 key factors that need to be understood and weighed before significant
new transit investments are made. Among them are transit quality and technology,
employment and housing density, retail siting criteria, regional market structure,
Source: American Planning Association. 1999
National Planning Conference:
Web Address: http://www.asu.edu/caed/proceedings99/NILES/NILES.HTM
Parking and TOD: Challenges and Opportunities. John Boroski &
Topaz Faulkner, February 2002.
Reports that TOD offers significant opportunities to reduce the number of
parking spaces by 12% to 60% below conventional parking requirements for retail,
office and residential land uses. A generalized process for developing a local
parking program for TOD projects is offered.
Source: Caltrans Special Report: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/MassTrans/doc_pdf/TOD/Parking%20and%20TOD%20%20Report.pdf
Transit-Orented Development: Moving from Rhetoric to Reality. Dena
Belzer & Gerald Autler, June 2002.
Offers an expanded definition of TOD that focuses primarily on functions and
outcomes rather than on physical form and project configuration. The report
identifies challenges that must be addressed and offers policy recommendations
to achieve optimal TOD projects.
Source: Brookings Institution: http://www.brookings.org/es/urban/publications/belzertodexsum.htm
San Diego MTS EcoPass Group Sales Program
San Diego MTS has an Eco Pass Group Sales program that works for any larger
organization (business, housing, etc.) Clients include small and large businesses
as well as Business Groups that purchase on behalf of their members. Several
developers have explored the program as a way to mitigate traffic and congestion
impacts of future developments and/or to resolve shortage of parking spaces
to units.
Site address: http://www.sdcommute.com/Rider_Information/Programs/Employer_Services/
Center for Transit-Oriented Development website
Sponsored by Reconnecting America, the Center's web site offers news, analysis
and resources relating to TOD activities in the US. The Center intends to
demonstrate how TOD can provide integrated solutions with the greatest benefits
for the community, municipality, and transit agency by weaving together local,
regional and national knowledge.
Site address: http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/html/TOD/index.htm
Examples of Transit-Oriented Development in the U.S.
Below are listed several TOD projects that are representative of the abundance
of TOD activity to be found across the U.S.
Oakland, CA
The city of Oakland's reports much progress in its plans and activities
for developing its eight BART heavy rail stations into transit-oriented villages
such as Fruitvale, a $100 million mixed use project that was once a dingy
and dangerous neighborhood short of jobs and housing.
Websites: http://www.business2oakland.com/main/documents/oaklandNOW.Spring03.pdf
http://www.fruitvalevillage.net/
(Fruitvale Transit Village)
Tampa, FL
Tampa's historic replica streetcar system, opened
in October 2002, has linked its downtown business center with historic Ybor
City and a new entertainment and residential district.
Website: http://www.tecolinestreetcar.org/main.htm
Hudson County, NJ
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System and Economic Development on the Waterfront.
Neal Fitzsimmons & Whitney Birch, November 2003.
As the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System has been implemented, developers are
investing in properties along the alignment, are showing more attention to
the residential market, and are "selling" the amenities and connectivity
that the light rail line provides.
Source: 9th National Light Rail Transit Conference, sponsored
by APTA and TRB.
Website: http://trb.org/publications/circulars/ec058/ec058.pdf
Denver, CO
TOD is an integral part of the planning for Denver RTD's T-REX
light rail system's 13 transit stations. Its stated goals are to build transit
ridership and discourage sprawl.
Website: http://www.trexproject.com/trex_channels/business/oriented.asp
Portland, OR
Tri-Met's Community Building Sourcebook includes descriptions of
19 bus or rail TOD projects in Portland, including Orenco Station, the largest
master-planned community on the MAX system.
Website: http://www.trimet.org/inside/publications/pdf/sourcebook.pdf
Dallas, TX
Research by economists at the University of North Texas reports that the Dallas Area Rapid Transit is driving more than $3.3 billion in development throught its 45-mile light rail system.
Source: http://www.dart.org/WeinsteinDARTDevelopment2005.pdf
Minneapolis, MN
All along Metro Transit's Hiawatha Line light rail, which began revenue
service in June, 2004, are springing up examples of new housing and commercial
development in a corridor that once had large tracts of vacant and under-utilized
land. Over the last five years, more than 5,400 new housing units have been
built within walking distance of the rail line, with another 7,000 units on
the drawing board.
Source: http://www.metrocouncil.org/planning/sor2006/sor2006.htm
Multi-location Sources
- The Transit Village Initiative, spearheaded by NJ Transit
and New Jersey DOT, has designated 14 Transit Villages in northern
New Jersey between 1999 and 2003. These municipalities have demonstrated
a commitment to revitalizing and redeveloping the area around its transit
facility into a compact mixed-use neighborhood with a strong residential
component. The Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University has
published a number of evaluative
studies of the Transit Village Initiative.
Website: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/village/index.shtml
News
On Track to Reborn Cityscape: The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line Proves a Boon
for Older Urban Areas.
Source: The Star-Ledger, October 30, 2005. Link
to article
MARTA: Stations at Center of Home Growth.
Sidebar to article lists dollar values of MARTA's agreements for the long-term
ground lease or sale of land for TOD.
Source: Atlanta Journal & Constitution, June 27, 2004. Click
here for sidebar.
Del Mar transit village coming alive.
Source: Pasadena Star-News, June 4, 2006. Link
to article
Home's where train is; Boom times hit T stops.
Source: The Boston Herald, June 18, 2006. Link
to article
APTA's Land Use and Development Subcommittee, GB Arrington, Chair,
serves as a clearing house and resource for linking transit and land use,
including policies and practices such as transit oriented development. The
Land Use and Development Subcommittee members will continue to provide information
on TOD to help expand this Resource Guide.
APTA Information Center
info@apta.com
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