TOD promotes compact city growth by integrating land development and transit service, encouraging walking, decreasing dependence on cars, improving health and safety, as well as supporting affordable housing options and local activities for people of all income levels. When carried out equitably, TOD can support affordable housing as well as activities for all.
TOD allows the Town of Babylon to create a walkable community near LIRR Westbury Station through a long-term ground lease agreement.
Transportation
TOD neighborhoods in cities with an established public transportation system tend to cluster around rail stations to maximize access and facilitate compact city growth, countering sprawl while making life simpler for residents who do not own cars. Furthermore, TOD neighborhoods help reduce reliance on motor vehicles, exposure to exhaust fumes, parking space requirements and traffic congestion issues.
Calgary’s TOD development has focused mainly on neighborhoods located along its Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, CTrain. New developments tend to be densest near stations before gradually tapering away in size as you move further from them.
State laws can help remove local impediments to dense development near transit, such as minimum parking requirements that reduce affordable unit counts or create unnecessary costs for developers. TOD laws often include provisions for affordable housing as well as incentives such as expedited review processes or reduced impact fees (as seen in Colorado and Washington).
Housing
Building housing near public transportation allows more people to enjoy walking-friendly neighborhoods, increase transit ridership, decrease car traffic and pollution levels, and spur local economic activity. It is an integral component of affordable housing strategies as households spend the bulk of their income on housing and transportation costs.
TOD policies encourage compact, walkable development to combat sprawl. They may allow higher density housing or mixed use developments with access to public transit and walking and biking paths; plus TOD policies may include affordability or displacement mitigation strategies.
TOD neighborhoods are expanding across cities. Calgary’s CTrain Red Line’s Brentwood Station neighborhood, for instance, was developed over eight years. It features residential and commercial buildings as well as shops like clothing retailers, opticians and picture frame shops; all within half mile of its station – typical for TOD neighborhoods.
Commercial
Reducing personal vehicle reliance while encouraging more sustainable environments by developing residential, office and retail options near transit hubs can strengthen local economies. Businesses can capitalize on foot traffic generated by transit stations to generate steady sales leads for themselves while at the same time making a sustainable impactful impactful contribution to society.
Planners can use land-use planning tools such as zoning or land-use regulations to encourage more housing and walkable areas around transit stations, thus helping address housing shortages, support new jobs and economic expansion, maximize the value of transit investments by increasing ridership numbers, and even minimize environmental footprint.
Town of Babylon is creating a walkable TOD area adjacent to LIRR Wyandanch Station that will include 300 apartments and a public plaza, using an MTA ground lease as leverage to pay for station access and circulation improvements that will benefit all residents.
TOD strategies can also strengthen community security by creating dense, connected neighborhoods that serve as “eyes on the street.” Such communities can improve safety and decrease crime. Furthermore, TOD approaches can contribute to sustainability goals by limiting vehicle emissions and parking requirements.
Public Space
Imagine living in a neighborhood where everything you need – such as shops, restaurants, parks, and public transit stops – is within easy walking distance from one another – shops, restaurants, parks, and public transit stops are all within a five-minute stroll of each other. Transit-oriented development (TOD) promotes this goal of urban designers hoping that TOD will reshape transportation patterns by increasing walkability, reducing car dependence, and supporting public transit investment.
Ideal TODs should feature higher density construction with non-residential uses that attract businesses and people, creating places with vitality, healthiness and connection. But these ideal conditions don’t always exist for every neighborhood and require an approach that takes into account local market needs, culture and climate when planning them.
Urban SDK can offer this multimodal perspective that makes TOD successful. From identifying opportunity zones and forecasting transit demand to tracking outcomes, TOD holds immense promise. But to truly succeed it must be built upon real-time data that empowers decision makers with multimodal insights – something Urban SDK does effectively.