Over 140 crores of private cars are running on the streets presently, majorly contributing to air pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases. Moreover, traffic congestion in cities costs the global economy approximately 85 billion dollars annually for loss of productivity, to the commuters in metropolitan cities spending around 205 hours per year stuck in traffic itself. Transit-Oriented Development or commonly known as TOD is a relevant approach aiming towards urban development destined to bring people, services, facilities and activities together with high-quality public transportation facilitated by walking and cycling to achieve shorter trips to workplaces, better lifestyles, and optimized use of city’s resources. By consolidating jobs, services, and housing within the focal area of transit corridors, TOD makes public transport a relatively more enticing and efficient alternative, while reducing the dependency on private cars.
Transit-oriented development is a planning and design based approach that promotes urbanization that is compact, mixed-use, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly, and closely integrated with mass transit by clustering jobs, housing, services, and amenities around public transit hubs. Based on the proposition that economic growth, urban transportation, and land use can be optimized if planned cohesively. TOD has been successfully implemented in cities around the world including Stockholm, Copenhagen, Hong Kong SAR, Tokyo, and Singapore.
Features of Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
The prime focus of Transit-Oriented Development is a centrally located transit hub. This transit node connects various modes of public transportation, such as buses, trains, or metros. It serves as the apex, encouraging high-density development around it while improving accessibility and connectivity to other parts of the city.
TOD focuses on Mixed-Use Developments within a radius of 500 meters from the Transit Node. It promotes mixed-use development strategies where housing, work, and recreational spaces are designed within a walkable distance from the transit hub i.e. about 5–10 minutes of a stroll on foot. The close proximity reduces the dependence on individual vehicular travel while promoting the effective use of land, and ensuring convenient access to public services and amenities.
Transit-oriented development glorifies streets which are particularly designed for users’ safety, comfort, and accessibility. Some efficient features include wider and barrier-free footpaths, areas with trees providing shade, efficient street furniture and infrastructure, and minimal vehicular and pedestrian crossings. These eventually all lead to walking and create active public spaces that improve the experience of an urban user.
Dedicated bicycle lanes, pedestrian walkways, and traffic-calming and noise-absorbing initiatives are taken into consideration while designing for TOD to facilitate non-motorized transportation. These methods reduce the reliance on private vehicles, improve health benefits, and reinforce sustainability goals by reducing carbon effluents.
Parking spaces in TOD areas are thoughtfully proposed and consciously designed to eliminate car-driven developments. Development strategies include facilities such as common parking spaces and negligible parking fares to refrain from overutilization of individual cars while efficiently using leftover available space for other relevant purposes.
Transit-oriented development programs stabilize urban development with effective measures to preserve the environment, wetlands conservation and safeguard other vulnerable ecosystems. Well-planned open spaces such as parks, playgrounds, public squares, and plaza are also introduced to enhance urban livability, promote biodiversity, and provide various recreational opportunities for citizens.
Transit Oriented Development in Denver
Denver has devised an exemplary solution for successful Transit-Oriented Development in the United States, with its Regional Transportation District, RTD, and their groundbreaking transformation. The city’s aspirational FasTracks initiative which commenced in early 2004, aimed to introduce an extensive public transit network by constructing around 120 miles of new commuter and light railway lines, along with 57 newly built stations, to connect the city’s core with its neighboring suburbs.
One commendable TOD initiative is the Union Station Redevelopment, which converted the ancient station into a multimodal transportation hub and a dynamic urban sphere. Situated in the core region of downtown Denver, Union Station interconnects light rail, commuter rail, buses, and facilities like bike sharing bikes, etc. The immediate context showcases high-density mixed-use developments, consisting of workspaces, high-end residential apartments, luxurious as well as economical restaurants, and retail shops. Since its completion in the year 2014, the value of the properties near the Union Station has escalated by more than 30%, and the developed region has fetched over 3 billion dollars in private investment.
Denver’s TOD methodology also focuses on low-cost housing and sustainability. Almost 20% of newly built residential units near transit hubs are reserved for lower income households, ensuring equitable access to public transportation. Moreover, Denver has focused on pedestrian-friendly initiatives, such as wider footpaths, distinguished bike lanes, and green spaces, to promote non-motorized commutes.
The impact of TOD in Denver is spellbound. With over 1,00,000 daily light rail users, RTD’s ridership has grown significantly. Thus, reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions in the region. Additionally, TOD has revamped the surroundings like The Five Points and The River North, formerly less occupied industrial areas, into lively cultural and economic centers. Denver’s TOD acts as a model for developing cities aspiring to integrate transit infrastructure and amenities with sustainable urbanization while at the same time fostering economic surge and social inclusivity.
References:
The World Bank (n.d.). Transforming the Urban Space Through Transit-Oriented Development: The 3V Approach. World Bank. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/transport/publication/transforming-the-urban-space-through-transit-oriented-development-the-3v-approach.
International Transport Forum 2 rue André Pascal F-75775 Paris Cedex 16 [email protected] www.itf-oecd.org
Luk, JYK & Olszewski, Piotr. (2003). Integrated public transport in Singapore and Hong Kong. Road and Transport Research. 12.
