Transportation

In for us to understand the difference between a transit-oriented development (TOD ) and a transit-adjacent development (TAD . Lets define first their meaning

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD ) – the integrated development of residential , commercial , and public space within walking distance of public transit facilities such as light rail station stops . TODs are high-quality environments around station locations whose careful planning and design help create a more sustainable community and region The degree to which a potential alignment can support TOD around station locations is a key factor in the evaluation of alternatives . HYPERLINK [banner_entry_middle]

br “http /www .northsouthstudy .org /glossary .htm http /www .northsouthstudy .org /glossary .htm

While Transit-Adjacent Development (TAD : Development that is in close proximity to transit , but with a design that has not been significantly influenced by it

This is in contrast to TOD , where transit is a central design feature

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT is a major solution to the serious and growing problems of peak oil and global warming by creating dense walkable communities connected to a train line that greatly reduce the need for driving and the burning of fossil fuels

Lets look how Pleasant Hill BART station doing a change from a TAD into a TOD . According to one of this web source

BART ‘s Pleasant Hill Station has been touted as one of America ‘s more successful TODs , though in truth it has more of the characteristics of a TAD than a TOD . It has many buildings nearby , including some 2 ,400 housing units , and a rich mix of land uses , but it suffers woefully in terms of quality of walking environment and urban texture . After some two decades of slowly evolving into a suburban downtown clustered around an elevated transit station yet devoid of qualities of a European-style transit village , local officials realized it was time to go back to the drawing board . It was decided that a community-based charette process held the best chance of building broad-based consensus on how the Pleasant Hill station should be metamorphosed from a TAD to a TOD Several firms were hired to run the design charette , and following an intensive six-month process of `give-and take ‘ a fairly strong consensus was reached that called for strategic siting and infill of midrise housing , community-oriented retail , offices , and assorted public amenities . Importantly , emphasis was given to providing attractive accessible , and car-restricted spaces for pedestrians and cyclists Also , attention was given to revamping implementation tools , mainly in the form of devising building and site-design codes based on new urbanism principles

http /onlinepubs .trb .org /onlinepubs /tcrp /tcrp_rrd_52 .pdf

There are factors to consider when trying to become a TOD , below are the following examples

-Rapidly growing , mind-numbing traffic congestion nation-wide

-Growing distaste for suburbia and fry-pit strip development

-Growing desire for quality urban lifestyle

-Growing desire for more walkable lifestyles away from traffic

-Changes in family structures : more singles , empty-nesters , etc

-Growing national support for Smart Growth

-New focus of Federal policy

The following are the BENEFITS to be come a TOD

-Higher quality of life

-Better places to live , work , and play

-Greater mobility with ease of moving around

-Increased transit ridership

-Reduced traffic congestion and driving

-Reduced car accidents and injuries

-Reduced household spending on transportation , resulting in more affordable housing

-Healthier lifestyle with more walking , and less stress

-Higher , more stable property values

-Increased foot traffic and customers for area businesses

-Greatly reduced dependence on foreign oil

-Greatly reduced pollution and environmental destruction

-Reduced incentive to sprawl , increased incentive for compact development

-Less expensive than building roads and sprawl

-Enhanced ability to maintain economic competitiveness … [banner_entry_footer]