Transit-Oriented Development
Much of what is known as the "New Urbanism" is an updated version of American urbanism as it took form before the age of the automobile, when city neighborhoods were densely populated and well-serviced with local amenities, all of which was structurally dependent on the presence of efficient mass transportation. This has influenced urban and transportation planners, who argue that to reduce dependency on automobiles means doing more than simply linking up existing urban and suburban areas with transit networks, but actually reconfiguring the way we build, renovate, and grow neighborhoods and cities.
As UC Berkeley's Robert Cervero argues with reference to California, "for rail transit to compete with the automobile in California, the metropolitan structures of the Bay Area, greater Los Angeles, and other areas will need to more closely resemble thoseplaceswhich have high shares of rail commuting and high concentrations of housing and offices within walking distance of stations." The development of successful transit systems, in this view, means the integration of transportation and urban planning in what has come to be known as transit oriented development (TOD). Michael Bernick and Cervero refer to successful instances of such development, both past and present, as transit villages.
Scholars sympathetic to transit oriented development are careful to point out that transit in the United States cannot be effective absent a range of supporting public policy elements. In a national context where transit planning is not always coordinated with the growth of urban areas, there is nonetheless some consensus on the most desirable mix of policy options available for promoting transit use in automobile oriented environments. These measures typically focus on parking maximums, shared parking, flexible zoning for increased densities and mixed uses, innovative strategies for land acquisition and development, and a design emphasis on a sense of place and pedestrian friendliness. Altogether, they make up the substance of TOD planning.
TOD's are not just planning blueprints, however, but rely on a range of financial incentives that help to give dense, transit-oriented developments a competitive edge in urban real estate markets. The existence of incentive products—such as the location efficient mortgage, and car-sharing, that help individuals recognize and take advantage of the mobility assets and convenience value inherent in a particular place, also work to reshape the market. Both of these financial tools helps households realize the benefits of living in a compact, well-designed community.
More...
Case Study:
Chattanooga
Case Study: Washington
DC
Case Study: Los Angeles
Click here
for links to organizations working to enhance transit use and curb
auto-dependent urban development.