TODs bring homes, jobs and shopping within walking distance of high quality public transit to encourage economic development while simultaneously cutting automobile and parking costs and emissions emissions.
Research indicates that residents living in TOD neighborhoods take transit for non-commute destinations at significantly higher rates than residents living in suburban areas, accounting for some differences via self-selection as well as physical design features that play a part in this phenomenon.
Location
TOD residents tend to own and drive fewer cars, rely more heavily on public transit, walking and carsharing services, as well as living closer to work so as to reduce energy usage (Cervero et al 2004).
TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) is the new paradigm of urban planning, city revitalization and suburban renewal whose goal is to create exciting people places while decreasing automobile dependence. TOD neighborhoods typically consist of housing, retail stores, offices and cultural institutions all located close to rail stations with high quality pedestrian and bicycle facilities built according to Universal Design standards. Parking management strategies may also be implemented so as to limit vehicle parking around transit stations.
Equitable TOD includes efforts to ensure low income communities and communities of color benefit from TOD without becoming displaces by it. It uses effective strategies for the preservation and expansion of affordable housing units, protecting against rising property values, connecting residents to jobs and economic opportunities as well as offering other services to these residents.
Accessibility
Successful TOD increases transit service capacity and efficiency, reduces automobile and parking costs per household, and fosters more livable communities by shifting trips towards higher-quality transit services. These results result from using multiple planning strategies such as land use planning, neighborhood design, real estate development financing mechanisms such as public/private partnership models, infrastructure implementation strategies, neighborhood/community benefits planning strategies etc. (Cervero and Arrington 2008; CNT 2010).
TOD locations tend to draw people who favor more frequent, reliable, affordable transportation alternatives such as public transit. Studies indicate that households within walking distance of high-quality transit drive 45% less than their counterparts living in car-dependent neighborhoods.
TOD also promotes physical activity by encouraging walking and cycling – which are usually shorter trips than transit – within safe environments designed to support these healthy, flexible, and versatile forms of travel. TOD also assists TDM objectives through various strategies including transit stops designed specifically for pedestrian safety and comfort as well as bicycle parking facilities that link neighborhoods together and to transit systems.
Commute Time
TODs increase transit ridership and offer vitalizing opportunities in neighborhoods underserved by current automobile infrastructure. Furthermore, TODs reduce per capita traffic casualty rates – an additional significant cost to society – and offer an alternative to auto-based sprawl.
Studies show that people living near an accessible and frequent rail system are five times more likely to use public transit, with residents of TODs owning fewer cars, driving less frequently and opting for alternative modes of transport such as walking, cycling, taxi and carsharing services.
TODs can typically be defined by a central transit station and high density residential and commercial development that surround it, often featuring walkable streets patterns with grid road layout rather than cul-de-sacs, diverse land use mix, convenient public transit service access points and easy walkability.
Economic Development
Transit-Oriented Development offers an attractive return on transportation infrastructure investment and contributes significantly to local economic development (Litman 2016). TOD increases housing density while supporting walkable neighborhoods that attract commuters and businesses; furthermore, its presence has been associated with lower per capita traffic casualty rates than conventional, auto-dependent areas.
TOD integrates the best practices from New Urbanism, Smart Growth, Location Efficient Development, Nonmotorized Transportation, Universal Design and Parking Management into Livable Communities. TOD can reduce land devoted to parking around transit stations by up to 20% when combined with Parking Management strategies.
TODs also increase transit ridership and service performance, leading to reduced per capita vehicle ownership, travel costs, congestion issues, energy consumption and pollution emissions (Cervero and Arrington 2008). TODs typically generate less vehicle trips than conventional, automobile-dependent communities such as an analysis conducted by Brookings that showed those living near multiple activity centers drove 45% less annually – saving upwards of $1200 each year on fuel expenses!