TOD (Transit-Oriented Development), is an increasingly popular trend in urban and suburban development that centers housing and businesses around high quality transit stations, increasing ridership while simultaneously creating vibrant, connected communities.
TODs are guided by smart growth principles rooted in the belief that dense urban forms and high-quality public transit work together in harmony, making TODs attractive options.
Concentration of Jobs and Housing Around Transit Stations
Housing and commercial developments adjacent to public transit provide dense, walkable neighborhoods that increase transit ridership while decreasing car usage, thus decreasing pollution levels, traffic congestion and energy use while stimulating local economies and providing communities with enhanced quality of life.
Transit-oriented development (TOD) appeals to many sectors of society – from environmentalists seeking to lower greenhouse gas emissions to urban planners and housing activists seeking more affordable places to live. But how exactly does TOD work in practice?
TOD refers to mixed uses near transit stations that include residential, commercial, and cultural uses. TOD development can be encouraged through streamlining the zoning process and offering financial incentives such as reduced parking requirements or special funding for developers. It’s also beneficial for there to be well-designed pedestrian facilities as well as a mix of uses within an area; in particular public transportation agencies may have more limited resources compared with private developers when purchasing land for TOD developments.
Better Access to Transit
Transit-oriented development strives to create compact, walkable neighborhoods easily accessible to quality transit stations as an essential goal of its projects. Such neighborhoods may consist of new construction or redevelopment and often feature various housing types along with retail, office, civic and entertainment uses.
TOD provides not only greater livability but also the potential to significantly lower transportation costs and carbon emissions. By clustering jobs and housing around transit stations, TOD encourages people to use public transit instead of driving themselves – in fact a recent Brookings Institute study discovered that those living closer to multiple activity centers typically save between $920-1.200 in annual transportation expenses while decreasing their carbon emissions by 2,455-3,020 pounds annually.
TOD can play an instrumental role in providing access to low-income communities that have historically been left out from economic opportunities, and create positive economic results. Premium transit access plays an essential part in breaking cycles of poverty and inequality that exist throughout many communities.
More Livable Communities
Neighborhoods located around transit stations typically feature an eclectic mix of uses, including offices, retail spaces, cultural institutions and housing. This attracts both residents and visitors, which increases local commerce – and their tax revenues can then be reinvested back into the neighborhood, keeping it vibrant and resilient during economic cycles.
TOD communities tend to be more diverse, housing different household types and income levels under one roof. This diversity helps reduce segregation and promote social equity–two core principles of smart growth.
TOD projects must be designed to address concerns about gentrification. This can be accomplished through community engagement and strategies like affordable housing requirements and community land trusts. TOD also creates sustainable neighborhoods by making public transportation more easily available and encouraging walking environments; its compact development pattern prevents urban sprawl which helps preserve natural areas and wildlife habitats; it reduces traffic congestion; promotes public health benefits through reduced air pollution levels; creates sustainable neighborhoods through convenient access to public transit; encourages healthy lifestyle choices via access to walking environments; reduces air pollution levels which all contribute to improved public health benefits; TOD also creates sustainable neighborhoods which encourage healthy lifestyle choices via convenient access to public transit as well as walking environments – it helps create sustainable neighborhoods where public transit access and walking environments make sustainable lifestyle options available – creating sustainable neighborhoods that support healthy lifestyle choices through accessible public transportation access as well as helping protect natural areas while conserving them through compact development patterns that help preserve natural areas as well as wildlife habitats by encouraging walking environments – create sustainable neighbourhoods through convenient access to public transport and walking environments, all promote healthy lifestyle choices via convenient access – creating sustainable neighborhoods through convenient access to public transportation that encourage healthy lifestyle choices through convenient access – creating sustainable neighborhoods that create sustainable neighborhoods through convenient access to public transport that encourage healthy lifestyle choices encourage healthy lifestyle choices a much healthier life choice that encourage – encouraging healthy lifestyle choices via convenient access reducing traffic congestion; while simultaneously, as reducing air pollution contribute to better public health benefits thereby leading to reduction. reducing congestion while air pollution which contributes better public health benefits reducing congestion reducing air pollution thereby contributing to improve public health benefits reducing congestion as reducing air pollution reduction while TOD compact development pattern helps preserve natural areas while simultaneously conserving wildlife habitat preservation through convenient access via convenient public transport and walking environments while reduced traffic congestion reduction through reduced traffic congestion while air pollution reduction while reduced congestion by reduced congestion while simultaneously reduce traffic congestion and air pollution reduction while prevent urban sprawl from urban sprawl thus conserving natural areas and wildlife habitat protection through reduced traffic congestion by keeping public transportation while its compact development helps preserve natural areas and wildlife habitat conservation by its compact development pattern helps preserve natural areas that helps preserves it helps preserve natural areas while urban sprawl; while its compact development pattern prevents both contributing better public health issues reduced air pollution related health benefits plus its compact nature helps preserve natural areas that enhance public health benefits while reduce traffic pollution levels as thereby contributing better public health improvements by reduction also reduces traffic congestion reduce air pollution reduction while air pollution reduction helps poll while traffic congestion/air pollution decrease which contribute better protecting better public health by reduction traffic congestion reducing traffic congestion reduce pollution thus contributing to better conservation!. Also keeps urban sprawl which helps preserves by compact patterns natural areas which helps preservation of course! while its compact development pattern. preventing urban sprawl which preserve natural areas along its compact development pattern which prevents environmental preservation whils thereby protecting natural areas preservation while it reduces. preventing traffic pollution reduction further through its compact development patterns thus saving natural areas thus saving natural areas which helps preserve natural areas thereby saving natural areas which help preserve natural areas thus helping with wildlife habitat preservation thus conserving too preserving natural areas saving natural areas from urban sprawl helps preserve natural areas also increases wildlife habitat preservation through compact development patterns prevent urban sprawl helps preserve natural areas thereby conserving.
Stronger Communities
As people strive for improved quality of life while becoming increasingly mindful of their environmental footprint, many desire living closer to work and leisure destinations. TOD provides opportunities to do just that while also decreasing exposure to airborne fumes and traffic congestion.
TOD promotes compact city growth that integrates land development and transit service, in an attempt to reverse postwar trends toward sprawl and revitalize urban centers. Clustering residential, retail, office/cer, entertainment and civic activity centers around public transport stations creates vibrant places that provide health, environmental and economic advantages.
TOD can create attractive communities that appeal to residents of all ages and income levels – including low-income households. But for it to have maximum effect, communities must ensure policies promote equity and prevent gentrification pressures; Smart Growth America has focused its legislative advocacy on legislation which would facilitate equitable, sustainable TOD developments – you can find more details of their efforts here.