TODs, or transit-oriented developments (TODs), are typically dense, mixed-use environments centered on public transit stations that feature residential apartments, offices, shopping, and cultural institutions. According to studies, people living within these TODs report higher satisfaction with public transit use.
TOD fosters compact city growth by limiting sprawl and providing residents with free movement without needing a car – creating sustainable economic vibrancy and upward mobility in Buffalo-Niagara Region.
1. Increased Economic Activity
TOD communities allow residents to live a simpler, less-stressful life without being entirely dependent on their cars. This helps lower infrastructure and maintenance costs as well as increase economic activity by eliminating long commute times for work.
This “3C” development model has quickly spread throughout the nation and offers an effective solution to urban mobility issues. This strategy integrates land development and transit service into compact walkable communities surrounding high quality train stations – offering greater mobility within cities overall.
Rail lines can increase the value of adjacent real estate and subsequently drive long-term economic development through demand for housing near transit, creating exciting, people-centered neighborhoods that attract tenants and businesses alike.
2. Reduced Traffic Congestion
Traffic congestion and emissions are two of the greatest burdens on cities today, but by creating dense, walkable communities that prioritize public transportation as their primary mode of travel, TOD encourages people to use transit more often and reduce dependence on automobiles.
TOD neighborhoods typically consist of compact developments with high-quality walking environments that include homes, offices, shops and services – this reduces overall transportation expenses while creating sustainable neighborhoods.
However, TOD communities must take note that TOD development may lead to gentrification and displacement of low-income communities, so offering affordable housing options and policies designed to protect these residents against rising property values are critical parts of building equitable TOD communities.
3. Better Health
Residents living near transit typically enjoy greater access to educational opportunities, jobs and grocery stores – which contributes to healthier lives. But TOD may have unintended consequences such as increasing rents and property values, residential displacement and widening racial disparities in neighborhood resources – which in turn has long-term health impacts as communities of color typically experience shorter life expectancies and worse healthcare outcomes than predominantly white neighborhoods.
SAHF members are taking steps to overcome these challenges by employing TOD to build quality, affordable housing in close proximity to public transit. Mercy Housing Northwest’s Othello Plaza project was recognized with an AHF Reader’s Choice Award for providing innovative place based solutions to address social determinants of health – it features service-enriched homes built adjacent to light rail on land purchased by transit agencies that provides 108 homes at an affordable cost for families.
4. Reduced Vehicle Use
Development and transit work together in harmony to create vibrant neighborhoods, increase transit ridership, reduce automobile traffic pollution, provide access to jobs and recreation, as well as enable more housing in less space while making life less stressful without relying on cars for transportation.
Portland State University conducted research revealing that residents living in TOD generate significantly fewer vehicle trips than standard estimates suggest–particularly at affordable TOD sites. Their 2024 study concluded that TOD residential communities surveyed produced roughly half as many cars per household than typical metropolitan areas and even less than neighborhoods located close to high quality public transit systems.
Now is the time to maximize our limited federal transit funding by encouraging more things to locate near quality public transit, thus increasing ridership while saving taxpayers money by decreasing highway construction and other costly infrastructure that only serves a minority of population.
5. Improved Environmental Quality
Transit-Oriented Development, or TOD, refers to a form of development which integrates homes, offices, businesses and cultural institutions around high quality transit in order to create vibrant neighborhoods with increased community development, reduced car traffic and pollution, as well as economic expansion. This mutualistic relationship between development and transit has resulted in vibrant neighborhoods which promote economic expansion while improving community development while decreasing car usage and pollution levels – it is referred to as TOD (Transit-Oriented Development).
TOD encourages individuals to utilize public transportation, which is more energy efficient and produces less greenhouse gasses than personal cars. Furthermore, TOD helps improve environmental sustainability by decreasing traffic congestion and air pollution.
TOD may lead to gentrification, forcing low-income residents out of their neighborhoods. To mitigate its negative effects, equitable TOD includes providing affordable housing and policies to prevent displacement; as well as measures such as value capture that leverage private development to fund transit improvements.