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Transit-Oriented Development
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a dense, walkable residential development type that features easy access to mass transit and retail. It became popular in the 1980's and 1990's as a response to suburban sprawl and as a means of revitalizing central cities. Most TOD's attempt to limit parking and vehicle access. As a result, these developments are often friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists, and encourage residents to ride trains or buses rather than drive. Initially slow to catch on in the United States, the concept has gained momentum in the 21st century as increased traffic and fuel costs force many Americans to rethink where they want to live and work.
The "pedshed"
A clever planner coined the term "pedshed" (also known as a walkshed) to define the distance that the average pedestrian is willing to walk to reach a bus or train from their office, shop or home. The pedshed helps planners determine the ideal size of a proposed TOD. Peter Calthorpe, a major figure in the New Urbanism movement who helped popularize TOD's, originally suggested that people would walk no more than a quarter-mile. More recent reports on the subject have expanded it to a half-mile. Eugene, Oregon measures the distance bicyclists are willing to ride to a station at one to two miles. [2]
Housing Density and TOD
Transit-oriented developments can incorporate a range of housing densities, depending on location. For example, they can serve: a neighborhood center, the center of a small town, a big-city downtown, or a regional center, with the last of these likely to have the highest density per acre. Neighborhood centers would have a bus or subway stop, while a regional center might also include commuter rail service. To encourage walking to transit and retail, street blocks should be no more than 500 feet long. New Urbanist-style neighborhoods with a street grid of short, square blocks with interconnecting streets work well with TOD design.
Notable TODs
Fruitvale Village in Oakland, Calif., which took shape in 2004 after a 13-year planning process, is considered one of the most interesting recent examples of Transit-Oriented Development. It includes 23 retail stores, 47 apartments and several community and professional services on 3.7 acres adjacent to a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in a largely low-income, Latino area. Planning and development was initiated by the nonproft Unity Council. The Fruitvale neighborhood saw the TOD as a way to stimulate economic development, encourage a mix of low- and higher-income residents, and as a tool in its overall program of community revitalization. The agency has organized a farmers' market and several live performances in the plaza next to the station [1].
In Arlington, VA, several TOD's were constructed in the 1970's as part of the Washington DC Metro system, spurring further office and retail development in an area known as the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor. Here, the county government has been the lead player, changing the zoning in the area to permit higher floor-to-area ratios for commercial development and encouraging car and bike-sharing programs to complement the five Metro stations. Developers also received incentives in the form of density bonuses if they provided street-level retail and connections to transit stations.
Challenges
Fruitvale Village has experienced challenges, such as identifying the right mix of retail stores to attract people throughout the day and evening. Many commuters do not walk past the stores, because they can use a pedestrian bridge to walk directly to a parking garage. It has become clear that retail access and parking supply should be tailored to meet the needs of local residents and transit riders [1].
Because housing near transit stations is increasingly popular, some projects have had trouble maintaining affordability. TOD developers have found they need to tap into city or state-run subsidized or inclusionary housing initiatives to guarantee income diversity. Reconnecting America, a TOD advocacy group, argues that gains for affordability outweigh the losses. It also reports that TOD communities tend to be more diverse economically and racially than their surrounding regions. [3]
In its TOD guidebook, the city of Austin, Texas outlines some of the attractions of this type of development: "Living in a TOD is going to be very attractive for people who are tired of fighting traffic and are willing to give up a second car, people from a variety of age groups who are looking for opportunities to move up or down in housing size, and seniors who want an independent lifestyle and to reduce their dependence on the automobile." [4]
ALSO ON THE LIVABLE STREETS NETWORK
- Streetsblog: Transit-Oriented Development in Jersey City
- Streetsblog: T is for Transit-Oriented Development
- Streetsblog: Transit-Oriented Development Forum
- Streetsblog: T.O.D. in Brooklyn: Turning Parking Lots into Housing
REFERENCES
Each source is referred to by the same number every time it is cited. Please keep citation style consistent.[1] Retail seen as the 'Achilles Heel' of Some TODs. New Urban News, December 2006.
[2] Smart Communities: Zoning for Transit-Oriented Development (pdf). Campaign for Sensible Growth, November 2002
[3] Preserving Affordability. Reconnecting America.
[4] Transit-Oriented Development Guidebook (pdf), City of Austin, 2006.
PICTURE REFERENCES
Pictures are cited in the order they appear above.
[1] Dallas Streetcar. Photo by RACTOD via Flickr.
[2] Roslyn Ballston Corridor from the air. Photo by RACTOD via Flickr.
FURTHER READING
- More on the Fruitvale TOD, U.S. Federal Highway and Transit administrations
- Reconnecting America on TODs
- Profiles of TODs in Jersey City, N.J. and Evanston, Ill.
- Details on 21California TODs
