Transit-Oriented Development
Contents
- Introduction
- Transit-Oriented Development - Guides, Studies, and Articles
- Transit Oriented Development and Market Forces
- Transit Oriented Development Programs
- Transit Oriented Development Plan and Ordinance Examples
Introduction
Transit systems (including rail or bus service) can provide a convenient transportation option and play a significant role in reducing traffic congestion. Successful transit systems require development patterns and community design that support transit use. Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) focuses on a mix of land-uses, such as residential, office, shopping, personal services, civic uses and entertainment within easy walking distance from a centrally-located transit station (about 1/4 mile, 5-10 minutes). TOD is designed to increase the number of residences and potential transit riders that have convenient access to transit. A variety of moderate and higher density housing options are typically a part of the mix. In addition, a complementary mix of uses, activities, and services located in close proximity makes it easier for TOD residents to commute to work, run errands, socialize and meet basic needs without always needing a car. Transit riders generally begin and end their trips by walking. As a result, a network of safe and convenient walkways that connect transit, residences and other uses, and an attractive pedestrian environment are a hallmark of TOD development. A well-designed bicycle system and facilities can increase the radius that people will travel to access transit. Community spaces, plazas, activities and attractive design are also important components in drawing people to TOD development.
Transit-Oriented Development - Guides, Studies, and Articles
- Creating Transit Station Communities in the Central Puget Sound Region: A Transit-Oriented Development Workbook (
), 1999
- Portland Tri-Met Community Building Sourcebook (
), 2005 (See Ch. 3- Transit-Oriented Developments)
- A Guide to Transit-Oriented Development (
), Sacramento Regional Transit, Final Draft 2009
- Guide for Transit-Oriented Development (
), Metropolitan Council (MN), 08/2006 - Good TOD overview
- Transit-Oriented Development Best Practices Handbook (
), city of Calgary - Summary of benefits and best practices
- Transit-Oriented Development Best Practices Manual (
), Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, 2007
- Building Livable Communities: A policy-Maker's Guide to Transit-Oriented Development, Judy Corbett and Paul Zykofsky, Center for Livable Communities, Local Government Commission, 1996 - Readable but thorough guide covering rationale, implementation tools and checklists, and case studies
- Station Area Planning: How To Make Great Transit-Oriented Places, Reconnecting American and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, 02/2008 - Discussion of TOD typologies, planning principles, including checklists, to facilitate creation of successful TOD projects
- The Mixed Income Transit-Oriented Development Action Guide, The Center for Transit Oriented Development - An online tool designed to help local jurisdictions and planners develop strategies to create mixed income transit oriented development around planned transit stations
- Transit-Oriented Development in the United States: Experiences, Challenges, and Prospects (
), by Robert Cervero, G.B. Arrington, Jane Smith-Heimer, Robert Dunphy et al., TCRP Report No. 102, Transportation Research Board, 2004 - A comprehensive assessment of the state of the practice and the benefits of transit-oriented development (TOD) and joint development throughout the United States
- Transit-Oriented Development: Moving from Rhetoric to Reality (
), by Dena Belzer and Gerald Autler, The Brookings Institution, 2002
- Transit-Oriented Development: Developing a Strategy to Measure Success (
), by John L. Renne, Jan S. Wells, and Edward J. Bloustein,Transportation Research Board, Research Results Digest 294, 02/2005
- Statewide Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Study, Factors for Success in California (
) Special Report: Parking and TOD: Challenges and Opportunities, California Department of Transportation, 02/2002
- Trans-Formation: Recreating Transit-Oriented Neighborhood Centers in Washington, DC, A Design Handbook for Neighborhood Residents, Office of Planning, 09/2002 - Explanation of 6 key design principles
- Construction of Transit-Based Development (
), by Dr. Scott Lefaver (P.I), Britta Buys, Diana Castillo, Stephen Mattoon, and John Vargo, The Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University, 09/2001 - Looks at successful programs and suggests incentives and codes at state and local level
- Building Transit Oriented Development In Established Communities (
), by Julie Goodwill and Sara J. Hendricks, Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida, 2002
- Hidden In Plain Sight Capturing The Demand For Housing Near Transit, Center for Transit-Oriented Development for the Federal Highway Administration, 2004 - Study finds high demand for housing near transit (double that which exists today)
- The Affordability Index: A New Tool for Measuring the True Affordability of a Housing Choice, Brookings Institute, 2003 - The Housing and Transportation Affordability Index is a groundbreaking innovation because it prices the trade-offs that households make between housing and transportation costs and the savings that derive from living in communities that are near shopping, schools, and work, and that boast a transit-rich environment.
- Transit-Oriented Development and Joint Development in the United States: A Literature Review (
), Transit Cooperative Research Program, Research Results Digest, 10/2002
- The Zoning and Real Estate Implications of Transit-Oriented Development (
), Transit Cooperative Research Program, Research Results Digest, Transportation Research Board, 10/2002
- Transit-Oriented Development Implementation, Community Choices Quality Growth Toolkit (
), Atlanta Regional Commission, and Executive Summary (
)
- Smart Communities: Zoning for Transit-Oriented Development (
), by Marya Morris, Ideas@Work, Campaign for Sensible Growth, 11/2002
- TOD: A Vehicle for Great Streets and Great Sidewalks, by Neal Payton, Urban Landscape, 08/2009 - Transit Oriented Development (TOD) represents not only an opportunity to put density near transit, but possibly as importantly, to remake the public realm creating a city of great streets and great sidewalks
- Tools for Mixed-Income TOD, Doug Shoemaker, Center for Transit Oriented Development 07/2006 - Report discusses resources and strategies that local governments can bring to bear when integrating mixed-income housing within transit-oriented developments
- Vehicle Trip Reduction Impacts of Transit-Oriented Housing (
), by Robert Cervero and G. B. Arrington, Journal of Public Transportation, vol. 11, no. 3, 2008 - A survey of 17 transit-oriented developments (TOD) in five U.S. metropolitan areas showed that vehicle trips per dwelling unit were substantially below what the Institute of Transportation Engineer's Trip Generation manual estimates.
- Effects of TOD on Housing, Parking, and Travel (
), by Robert Cervero and G. B. Arrington Transportation Research Board, 2008 - Provides original data on TOD residential trip generation and parking, the behavior and motivation of TOD residents, employees, and employers in their mode choice. The report also identifies best practices to promote, maintain, and improve TOD-related transit ridership.
- Center for Transit-Oriented Development at ReconnectingAmerica - Links to reports and studies, case studies, latest news
- TOD Additional Resources, Federal Transit Administration
- Transit Oriented Development Using Public Transit to Create More Accessible and Livable Neighborhoods, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Online TDM Encyclopedia, updated 04/15/2011
- Federal Transit Administration TOD website
- Articles/Publications: Transit-Oriented Development, Community-Wealth.org
Transit Oriented Development and Market Forces
- Capturing the Value of Transit, prepared for: United States Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration by the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, 11/2008 - Harnessing a portion of the value that transit confers to surrounding properties to fund transit infrastructure or related improvements in station areas
- Financing Transit-Oriented Development: Policy Options and Strategies in the San Francisco Bay Area, prepared for Metropolitan Transportation Commission, by the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, 08/2008
- TOD Economic Analysis and Market Study, Denver, CO, 2008
- Why Build Near Transit?, by Paul Zykofsky, Local Government Commission
- Light Rails Systems and Property Values Fact Sheet (
), South Sacramento Corridor Phase 2 Project
- New Jersey Transit Village evaluations and economic analysis, Rutgers University
- The New Starts Congressional Handbook, New Starts Working Group - Handbook to help congressional staff and others to navigate the New Starts process to obtain federal funding for a fixed-guideway transit project, 06/2009
- Effect of Suburban Transit-Oriented Developments on Residential Property Values, San Jose State University - Recent study examines 4 suburban transit oriented developments (TODs) for their effects on nearby property values
- Transit Options: Supporting Communities During Tough Times (
), by Judy Newman, On Common Ground, Winter, 2011 - Transit Oriented Development holds its own during recessionary times
- Rail Transit in America: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Benefits (
), by Todd Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 03/11/2011
- The Value Capture Approach To Stimulating Transit Oriented Development And Financing Transit Station Area Improvements (
), by Thomas E. Gihring, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 02/2009
Transit Oriented Development Programs
- Seattle TOD Projects - Links to Seattle and Portland TOD projects
- Seattle Station Area Planning, Transit Oriented Development Case Studies, Seattle Department of Transportation
- King County Transit-Oriented Development Program - Descriptions of a number of TOD projects
- Transit-Oriented Development: A Review of King County Cities (
), Futurewise, 2003
- TOD website, California Department of Transportation
- Portland Metro Transit-Oriented Development
- Portland TOD Case Study: Westside MAX Light Rail Project Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Program - Includes links to a number of documents and studies related to station planning
- Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) - See TOD resources by subject for Colorado examples, and a wealth of other information
- Twin Cities, MN TOD Projects (
), Metropolitan Council, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
- Santa Clara Valley, CA Transportation Authority, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Program
- Phoenix, AZ Transit-Oriented Development
- Phoenix, AZ Case Studies: Transit-Oriented Development (
), Re-Connecting America for Local Initiative Support Corporation, 2009 - Case Studies of Tools that Work
- Station Profiles, Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transportation Authority, Atlanta Regional Commission
Transit Oriented Development Plan and Ordinance Examples
- Vancouver, WA Zoning Code Ch. 20.550 - Transit Overlay District - Includes incentives
- SeaTac Municipal Code Ch. 15.36 - Design Standards for High Capacity Transit Facilities Ch. 15.38 - Special Standards for the South 154th Street Station Area
- Redmond Community Development Guide Sec. 20D.240.20-010 - Citywide Transit Supportive Development Standards
- Snohomish County Code Ch. 30.34A (
) - Urban Center Development, and Ch. 6V (
) - Land Use Element, General Policy Plan (See especially Policy LU 3.B beginning on p. LU 20), and Snohomish County Assistance Bulletin #96: Urban Centers
- Hillsboro, OR Zoning Ordinance No. 1945, Volume II, Sec. 136 through 142 - Station Community Planning Areas; See Volume I for definitions and procedural requirements
- Oregon Transit-Oriented Development Strategic Plan created for the Metro TOD Program in Portland, prepared for Portland Metro by Center for Transit-Oriented Development, 2010
- Portland, OR Zoning Code Ch. 33.450 - Light Rail Transit Station Zone
- Charlotte, NC Code of Ordinances, Appendix A: Zoning, Ch.10, Part 9: Transit Supportive Overlay District Sec. 10.901 - 10.913
- Massachusetts Transit Oriented Development Overlay District: Model Bylaw (
), Smart Growth Toolkit Bylaw
- TOD in Denver, and Transit-Oriented Development Strategic Plan, 08/02/2006
- Sacramento's Transit-Oriented Development Plan a Model for the Nation, by Christopher B. Leinberger, Brookings Institute, 03/18/2009
- Sacramento Regional Transit: A Guide to Transit-Oriented Development (
), Draft Final, 04/13/2009
- Approved Capitol Heights Transit District Development Plan and Transit District Overlay Zone, Prince George's County, MD, 07/2008
- Prince George's New Carrollton Approved Transit District Development Plan and Transit District Overlay Zoning Map Amendment, 2010
- Minneapolis, MN 38th Street Station Area Master Plan
- Minneapolis, MN Nokomis East LRT Station Area Plan - Includes interesting TOD 101 Appendix
- Mountainview, CA South Whisman Precise Plan, 2009, and Whisman Station Plan

