TOD communities feature accessible, affordable housing and transportation options that rely on great transit service, providing equitable prosperity in cities while supporting environmental sustainability.

TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) is an area within walking distance from a transit station or corridor that contains residential, office, and service development that makes public transit financially sustainable.

Housing

Communities that develop mixed use neighborhoods around transit stations draw in new residents, support local business and jobs, reduce car usage and become more resilient against natural disasters and climate change.

TODs typically feature residential, office, retail, and civic uses all within walking distance of a transit station. These developments often have higher densities so as to accommodate more people at once and provide them with access to amenities, services and work opportunities.

TOD should be pursued using an equitable process in order to reach its potential for creating equitable neighborhoods, which requires meaningful engagement of local communities and community-based organizations at every stage of planning process. Furthermore, an explicit commitment must be made toward equity goals via strategies which preserve affordable housing units while protecting tenants from displacement while connecting low-income families to opportunity.

Jobs

TOD promotes economic development by creating walkable neighborhoods centered on public transit hubs. These vibrant places generate new jobs while offering residents multiple housing choices that allow them to work closer to their homes reducing car use and therefore energy consumption and emissions.

TOD communities also encourage greater health and wellbeing by encouraging more physical activity. According to a Brookings study, those who reside close to multiple activity centers save money on transportation expenses and enjoy reduced carbon emissions.

TOD initiatives must address equity concerns to ensure everyone can access opportunity-rich neighborhoods. Equitable TOD (eTOD) strategies include affordable housing near transit and programs promoting community-based businesses; such policies help capture value and create more opportunities for low-income residents, people of color and marginalized populations.

Retail

TOD communities tend to be constructed around transit station areas that offer compact, walkable development with mixed uses – retail shops as well as residential, employment and entertainment spaces are often provided in these developments.

TODs have become popular as a means of encouraging more frequent public transportation use and decreasing car dependence, and also as a means of encouraging sustainable urbanization by lessening sprawl tendencies.

Dependent upon proximity to transit systems and commuter populations, demand may be high for convenience and grab-and-go retail concepts. Spaces which facilitate dwell time increases are particularly crucial. This holds especially true in higher density TODs such as Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Train Station TOD where its retail offerings attract pedestrians from neighboring neighborhoods as customers.

Entertainment

TOD fosters compact, pedestrian oriented neighborhoods by providing housing, jobs, retail shops and entertainment venues all within walking distance of transit stations. Planning process for TOD involves various community-based activities with input from residents resulting in safe, vibrant communities that foster close bonds among its inhabitants.

TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) is an approach to urban development that seeks to increase transportation efficiency while supporting economic, social and environmental sustainability. It offers higher-quality walking environments while decreasing dependence on automobiles – as well as rejuvenating urban neighborhoods.

Communities planning TOD may benefit from taking advantage of green tape zones, which speed up approval for construction near transit hubs. This may reduce permitting delays and encourage developers to build affordable TOD communities.

Community

TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) enables communities to expand in ways that benefit economic, social, and environmental health. Strategies often employed include building dense pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods within walking distance of transit stations; supporting community development through social capital contributions; creating safe walking conditions for walking or cycling; celebrating local histories and cultures while honoring heritages of their neighborhoods; or celebrating an area’s past and future through events celebrating that history or culture.

TOD also encompasses offering quality transit services in all parts of a city, providing equitable access to jobs and opportunities throughout a community. People can now get where they need to be without needing their cars – helping reduce congestion, air pollution levels in cities as well as supporting healthy lifestyles and diverse economies.

TOD initiatives must adhere to principles of equitable transit-oriented development (eTOD). This means prioritizing community engagement and collaboration while meeting affordability criteria through explicit goals or requirements or by discounting land for affordable housing units.