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INTRODUCTION
While existing transit-oriented development (TOD) varies in land-use mix, project density and transit accessibility, most transportation planning professionals agree that TOD provides an opportunity to locate compact, high-density land uses (such as housing, retail services and offices) within walking distance of existing and future transit services.
TOD attempts to reduce the use of single-occupant vehicles and enhance transit investments by bringing potential riders closer to transit facilities. TOD also can help reduce personal transportation costs, air pollution and dependency on fossil fuels while fostering efficient non-motorist access to local services and amenities. In addition, TOD has the potential to increase transit ridership, reduce commute distances and decrease overall infrastructure costs.
Proponents of TOD often note that it is not a new concept. It is simply the co-development of properties (usually residential and commercial) with the provision of transit services. In early examples, seen in the streetcar suburbs of cities across the United States, private streetcar operators also acted as property developers, cultivating pedestrian-friendly communities focused around transit stops to maximize ridership.
Today's TOD projects usually involve a private developer with similar goals related to maximizing return on investment. Many projects, however, also involve public agencies acting in accordance with smart growth policies and with the goals of reducing automobile use and air pollution.
Recent prominent examples of TOD can be seen in major U.S. cities such as San Francisco, CA, where parking lots around Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations are being redeveloped into mixed-use communities. In Portland, OR, San Diego, CA and Dallas, TX, development is focused around new light rail transit stations.
Transit-Oriented Development in Seattle, WA, USA
A major influence on TOD in Seattle has been Washington's Growth Management Act (GMA), which was passed in 1989. The law requires cities to develop comprehensive plans that accommodate residential and employment growth within urban growth boundaries. Increasingly, municipalities are looking to TOD as a way to accommodate that growth.
The Puget Sound region of Washington boasts one of the most extensive bus transit systems in North America. Three major bus operators serve the heart of the region: King County Metro (in King County, where Seattle is located), Community Transit (in Snohomish County) and Pierce Transit (in Pierce County).
In addition, Sound Transit, a...