Get on Track

A Growing Movement Believes that Transit-Oriented Development Paves the Way for New Growth.

By Lynn R. Otte and Reed Lee

"Bye-Bye Suburban Dream" heralded a recent Newsweek magazine cover, "15 Ways to Fix the Suburbs." It may have come as a surprise to those who thought the nation's suburbs were doing fine, but the article focused on some very real problems: unchecked growth without corresponding economic benefit; how much it costs the average family to drive from home to work to school to store (almost 18 percent of the family budget), as well as the plight of suburban slums-older, closer-in suburbs that have been abandoned in favor of those farther out. Add to these the better-known complaints of increasing air pollution, traffic congestion, and the disappearance of undeveloped land, and the scope widens to a national concern.

While suburban woes are often residential in nature, commercial markets have followed the path of the people out of the city, along corridors of commerce-consider the strip centers, malls, industrial parks, and corporate headquarters and campuses that line major suburban arteries. Commercial properties are an integral part of the suburban landscape and can experience the same problems as residential real estate when the development moves out farther: difficulty in leasing or selling properties. By rethinking the American pattern of growth and the concept of personal transportation, some of this problem becomes fixable either through new development or retrofitted development.

One response is the emergence of transit-oriented development (TOD), which reduces dependence on the automobile by providing quick and easy access to other forms of transportation. TOD emphasizes land use and transportation relationships of urban development, parking management, and the importance of the pedestrian environment in development decisions. A fairly broad TOD definition includes three characteristics: higher density land uses; a mix of land uses (commercial developments integrated with residential developments); and transit-accessibility.

A Viable Alternative
Why should commercial developers and brokers be interested in TOD? Besides offering solutions such as reducing air pollution through mass transit and making better use of land resources, the TOD vision of communities is gaining appeal in the marketplace.

TOD projects represent a response to the changing demographics of the marketplace that typical development has missed. The post-World War II suburban model designed around mom and the kids at home and at school in the suburbs and dad downtown at his job no longer fits the reality for most Americans. Mixed-use developments that offer stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and offices in close proximity to residential units and that can be reached by car, foot, bicycle, or mass transit are TOD's leading edge. These transit villages, so-called because they are designed around a transit stop, save precious travel time and open up commercial and retail establishments to those who do not have cars.

While there is not an extensive or long-term track record for TOD projects, early indications are that TOD projects sell and lease at a premium. The growth of commercial development near Washington, D.C., Metro stations such as Rosslyn, Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Ballston, along with the success of primarily residential projects such as Seaside, Florida; Kentlands, Maryland; and mixed-use projects such as Laguna West, California, point to the potential for the success of TOD projects.

Old Concept, New Emphasis
TOD elements originally appeared with the introduction of transit in the 1800s, but fell out of favor as far-reaching development and new highways lured Americans to the automobile by the millions.

Dependence on the automobile has been growing in America for more than 45 years, since the end of World War II. This situation has been aided by the absence of public transportation in many communities nationwide-an absence that, in some cases, was "planned" in the community's design through land use decisions and zoning.

Only recently, in light of problems of traffic congestion and air pollution, have the perils of such decisions become apparent. It is very difficult to provide mass transit effectively for decentralized development. Low-density/single-use projects almost require autos for transportation. Planning that does not consider the pedestrian will deter use of mass transit.

Examples of TOD
Also referred to as neo-traditional design, traditional neighborhood design, and the new urbanism, TOD relies heavily on development and design practices found in older central cities and suburbs such as Oak Park, Evanston, and Lake Forest, Illinois; and Princeton, New Jersey. These design practices include elements such as a centrally located commercial core, grid street networks, a mix of land uses, and proximity to transit.

There are two major types of TODs: those developed around new transit systems, and those that are retrofitted into older systems.

The development around the Washington, D.C., Metro stations on the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor in Arlington County, Virginia, is a good example of TOD designed around a new transit system. When the Metro rail lines extended into this suburban area, Arlington County focused on high-density residential and commercial development around the Metro stations. In Ballston, in particular, a mix of private and public-private partnerships created a new downtown on 260 acres of land surrounding the Metro station. Halfway through the approved development, the area has added 5,000 residential units, 7 million square feet of office space, and 1.1 million square feet of retail space.

A good example of retrofit is the recent redevelopment of downtown Elmhurst, Illinois, around a Metra commuter train station. The city of Elmhurst solicited developers interested in mixed-use development through a request-for-proposal process. It also provided incentives by assembling city property and selling it at reduced cost. Elmhurst worked with Metra and the Illinois Department of Transportation to provide infrastructure improvements. In addition, the city provided a low-interest loan to a theater owner to upgrade and renovate that property, which helped to stimulate additional retail development.

Development Features
TOD encompasses small- and large-scale design features that developers can incorporate into new projects as well as retrofit into areas that lack transit accessibility. These features include:

• Continuous sidewalks and safe street-crossing areas where pedestrian activity is likely.
• Parking lots either to the side or back of a building, so that pedestrians do not have to wade through a sea of cars to reach the building.
• Direct pedestrian paths to transit stops that don't force walkers to backtrack.
• Routes of access between adjacent development projects that establish logical connections between buildings, pedestrians, bicycles, and transit vehicles. These routes, which connect "seams" of one development to another, should minimize the distance between vehicle door and building door, and provide for better pedestrian as well as passenger safety and security.

Creating a Transit-Friendly Environment
Developers can play a key role in creating transit-friendly projects, first by considering the role and accessibility of transit early in the planning process. A willingness to compromise and a readiness to move away from a "business as usual" attitude are also important and likely to produce new solutions. Developers can work with local governments to identify investment and zoning assistance as well as to recognize and capitalize on existing development strengths.

TOD offers developers benefits and advantages such as reduced traffic congestion, site attractiveness, density or height bonuses (made available as incentives by municipalities), and higher levels of foot traffic for commercial property.

In designing projects for large parcels of land, developers have the opportunity to incorporate guidelines that can make the development more transit-compatible. For instance, developers should consider convenient access for transit riders and pedestrians, including bus stops, shelters, and sidewalks close to the entrance of the development and incorporating transit rail stations into the development.

Tactics for Implementing TOD
Implementation of TOD requires cooperation and communication among developers, municipalities, and citizens. These key players can help create an environment that promotes acceptance and support of TOD. They can also forge partnerships by helping to educate and advocate for TOD and working to remove obstacles. To do this, developers can:

• Participate in and support community involvement activities such as design workshops and visual preference surveys, which gauge the appeal of an attractive, functional, transit-oriented environment.
• Incorporate TOD principles, policies, and regulations into development proposals and seek help from municipalities in implementing those ideas.
• Identify to communities the advantages of TOD such as reduced need for roads and parking, higher property values, and a better community image.

Early, efficient coordination and communication among the developer, municipal staffs, transportation agencies, and the community are essential in the TOD process. Zoning codes and plan approval criteria should be reviewed to identify requirements that may impede TOD.

In addition, developers can:

• Participate in efforts to adopt TOD policies and regulations.
• Be prepared to explain and demonstrate the benefits of TOD projects to local officials and community organizations.
• Provide education about TOD.
• Provide pro bono support to design workshops and other public participation efforts that establish goals and objectives for incorporating TOD in a community.

Transit-oriented development offers developers (and city planners) the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of urban planning.

Lynn R. Otte is manager of market development and Reed Lee is principal analyst for the Regional Transportation Authority in Chicago, Illinois. You can reach Otte at (312) 917-0706 and Lee at (312) 917-0753.

The Regional Transportation Authority, 181 W. Madison, Chicago, Illinois, which provides financial planning and oversight of public transportation in northeastern Illinois, is committed to advancing the concepts of TOD through a variety of efforts. It sponsors TOD seminars and workshops for developers, consultants, and municipal officials.