TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) is an urban planning strategy which centers housing and work near transit stations to minimize car use while simultaneously providing opportunities for healthier lifestyles and economic advancement.
TOD neighborhoods are typically constructed within one-quarter mile (10 minutes walking) from public transportation stops, and provide high-quality pedestrian infrastructure.
Accessibility
An effective network of walking paths and public spaces makes transit-oriented developments much more accessible for residents living, working, playing, and shopping within them. This accessibility also helps reduce automobile use as well as air pollution levels in the surrounding area.
Transit-oriented development (TOD), also known as transit oriented living (TOW), promotes compact city growth that integrates land use with quality public transportation services to create communities where residents can commute, run errands and meet basic needs without needing their cars. The goal is for residents to have all they need available without incurring unnecessary car ownership expenses.
TODs are planned communities centered on quality train stations that feature housing options, retail shops, office space and other community amenities within easy walking distance from them. TODs offer an effective solution to creating walkable cities while simultaneously reducing car usage on local roads while encouraging healthy lifestyle choices for people who do not choose to own or operate vehicles themselves – something which has become a growing trend across America.
Social Benefits
Transit-oriented development offers more than economic benefits: it can also decrease driving and energy use while helping address climate change mitigation efforts.
TODs (Town of Dispersion, in short) typically comprise high-density mixed-use areas that are located within walking distance from transit stops, featuring retail, commercial, residential, civic and educational facilities as well as narrow streets with high quality pedestrian infrastructure and reduced car parking spaces.
TODs have become an increasingly popular planning strategy across cities worldwide, as they can increase transit ridership, revitalize neighborhoods and strengthen regional economic competitiveness. But TODs may come with drawbacks such as gentrification and accessibility concerns.
TODs should incorporate mixed-use buildings, affordable and market-rate housing units, active communities and compact multi-family developments near public transit stations or stops, complemented by incentives such as tax breaks for developers. To maximize its potential, TOD should feature mixed-use buildings with both affordable and market-rate units. They should also implement zoning laws which encourage compact multi-family developments near these public transit stops with incentives such as tax breaks for developers.
Economic Benefits
TOD promotes compact urban development by optimizing land usage efficiency while simultaneously minimizing congestion and carbon emissions. Housing, jobs, and services concentrated around transit stations help make public transport more viable by increasing ridership numbers.
TODs can appeal to younger generations who value car-free lifestyles over owning vehicles. This approach may reduce vacancies while drawing in renters and buyers looking for sustainable living solutions.
TOD can also help mitigate climate change by reducing traffic congestion, protecting natural areas and increasing housing options. Furthermore, TOD projects often located in underserved neighborhoods can improve local economies while creating jobs. Unfortunately, TOD measures without equity provisions may price low- and moderate-income households out of the market and lead to gentrification; additionally they may be costly to build and maintain due to high infrastructure costs associated with their existence.
Gentrification
Gentrification is an intricate concept. At its core, however, gentrification refers to middle-class individuals moving into lower income neighborhoods and displace residents living there with lower incomes, altering both their culture and social structures as a result of gentrification.
In 2020, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition reported that gentrification was most prevalent in low-income areas of major American cities such as New York City, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, San Francisco-Oakland and Atlanta – particularly neighborhoods experiencing significant population gains for white residents with reduced rates of black population decline compared to non-gentrifying areas.
While some view gentrification as beneficial for neighborhoods, others worry that it will deepen inequality across America. A number of organizations have advocated equitable development – which aims to decrease inequities and create places where all residents from diverse backgrounds can live comfortably and flourish – including transit-oriented development which focuses on clustering housing and businesses near frequent transit to foster equitable development while still reaping economic advantages associated with increased density.