Transit Oriented Development :

Environmental Imperative, Business Opportunity

Robert T. Dunphy Transportation Consultant

Instructor, Georgetown University

World Bank Program – China Delegates

December 15, 2011

Outline

TOD defined and challenges in USTOD defined and challenges in US Remaking the image of transitRemaking the image of transit Making the CaseMaking the Case Transportation vs developmentTransportation vs development Principles for TODPrinciples for TOD Successes and FailuresSuccesses and Failures

Names? transit-oriented development transit-oriented development

(TOD)(TOD) transit villagetransit village Smart growthSmart growth

Not Not TADTAD

TODTOD

What is TOD?

Most definitions include:Most definitions include:strong transit connection (designed to facilitate use of transit)strong transit connection (designed to facilitate use of transit)

moderate to high densitymoderate to high densitymixed usemixed use

pedestrian-orientedpedestrian-oriented

DevelopmeDevelopmentnt

TransitTransit

US - Development Transit Disconnect

ThenThen

•Now

Population Growth and Commute Share Major US Transit Cities ~ 2000 - 2009

Transit share in U.S. High growth Cities

What do we mean by transit?

Or?

Transit – Non User’s View

Urban Transit: Often unattractive

Remaking the Image of Transit Ride/ComfortRide/Comfort ShelterShelter ConnectionsConnections Speed/Speed/

ReliabilityReliability InformationInformation

Reinvesting in Transit: Chicago

New York

Making the Case

Transit will work Transit will work herehere

Transit Oriented Transit Oriented Development Development will work herewill work here

Why Do It?

Doing GoodDoing Good Supports TransitSupports Transit Better developmentBetter development Reduces sprawlReduces sprawl

Doing Well Doing Well Profitable, new Profitable, new

market market

Global impacts

• Energy security, peak oilEnergy security, peak oil• Land consumptionLand consumption

• Climate changeClimate change

Development Does Not Happen Just Because of the Transit

It Takes:It Takes: Planning Planning RegulationsRegulations Incentives Incentives

(possibly)(possibly)

Transportation Perspective

Urban Development - GoodUrban Development - Good Builds transitBuilds transit Options to DrivingOptions to Driving Improves real estate valuesImproves real estate values

Conventional Suburban Development - Conventional Suburban Development - Bad Bad Excessive drivingExcessive driving Transit difficultTransit difficult Hard to walkHard to walk

Development Perspective Urban MXD Hard Urban MXD Hard

Takes longerTakes longer More expensiveMore expensive Unproven Market, Hi Unproven Market, Hi

RiskRisk Conventional SuburbanConventional Suburban

Easy to do, cheapEasy to do, cheap Where the Growth isWhere the Growth is Few OpponentsFew Opponents

The Transit Market

The Real Estate Market

Principles for Transit Oriented Development

Make It Better with a Vision

Agreement on growth plans among Agreement on growth plans among citizens, developers, officialscitizens, developers, officials

Helps public and private Helps public and private investments to work togetherinvestments to work together

Kendall, Miami

Green Infrastructure – Regional vision

Partner with Private Sector

Combine strengths to achieve better Combine strengths to achieve better projects:projects:

Transit agencies: land, transitTransit agencies: land, transit Local governments: planning, land Local governments: planning, land

assemblage, infrastructureassemblage, infrastructure Private developers: land ownership, real Private developers: land ownership, real

estate experience, financing – estate experience, financing – Keep them happy Keep them happy

Mid-Pike Massing Diagram

Old Georgetown Road

Old Georgetown Road

H

oya

Hoya

Str

eet

Str

eet

MonMontrose

trose

Parkway

Parkway

Think Development When Thinking Transit Transit to connect nodes Transit to connect nodes

of activityof activity Transit-supportive Transit-supportive

densities, mix of uses, densities, mix of uses, attractive placesattractive places

Cheap transit routes Cheap transit routes create poor development create poor development optionsoptions

Downtown Plano, Texas

Get the Parking Right

Get the Parking Right

      MoveMove

      Share Share

      Deck Deck

      WrapWrap

Make Buses a Great Idea

Boston Silver Line

Curitiba, Brazil

Extensive Extensive coveragecoverage

Fast serviceFast service AffordableAffordable

Develop Affordable Housing

Transforming the Nassau Hub“America’s First Suburb”

Levittown, New Levittown, New YorkYork

• Leading commercial center• Major malls

•Offices•2 colleges

• residential •coliseumcoliseum

• Disconnected suburban pattern• Redesign - urban, connected

• redeveloping the coliseum Source: RPA, Neighborhood Network

Nassau Hub – an early suburban success

The promise ''a vision for a new suburbia‘‘ Create a central axis for the Create a central axis for the

government, shopping, college and government, shopping, college and medical complex. medical complex.

High-paying jobs and expanded tax High-paying jobs and expanded tax base while preserving neighborhoodsbase while preserving neighborhoods

revenue-producing growth reduces revenue-producing growth reduces property taxesproperty taxes

''This is Suozzi Land, (a grandiose ''This is Suozzi Land, (a grandiose plan when we can’t maintain what plan when we can’t maintain what we have” we have” Peter Schmitt, Nassau County Legislature Peter Schmitt, Nassau County Legislature

Nassau Coliseum Redevelopment

2007 - Team chosen to 2007 - Team chosen to redevelop land around Nassau redevelop land around Nassau Coliseum.Coliseum.

The developer's vision - big for The developer's vision - big for Long Island: high rise housing, Long Island: high rise housing, office, and attractions. office, and attractions.

Town scaled back height and Town scaled back height and density to "preserve suburban density to "preserve suburban character”character”

Without a few dense nodes, the Without a few dense nodes, the Island's continued economic Island's continued economic growth will be at risk. growth will be at risk.

Revitalizing a Suburban strip – Arlington, VA Declining Declining

corridorcorridor Retail lossesRetail losses Lumber yardsLumber yards Pawn ShopsPawn Shops Oil TanksOil Tanks

Rosslyn, VARosslyn, VA

Arlington – Concept Plan

Relocate Relocate TransitTransit

Cluster Cluster DevelopmentDevelopment

Rosslyn Ballston Land Use Plan

Citizen Vision Plan

Significant growth inevitable. All land Significant growth inevitable. All land redevelopableredevelopable

Don’t repeat Rosslyn mistakesDon’t repeat Rosslyn mistakes Density half RosslynDensity half Rosslyn Balance, emphasize retailBalance, emphasize retail Early attention to amenities, Early attention to amenities,

architectural quality, pedestrianarchitectural quality, pedestrian 5 acres of parks in each bulls eye5 acres of parks in each bulls eye

Transit Arrivals in Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor by Route, 1975-2002

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

1977 1981 1990 1996 2002

Pe

rso

n T

rip

s

Wilson Boulevard U.S. 29/Lee Highway I-66

Source: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Tour notes

RosslynRosslyn BallstonBallston Court HouseCourt House ClarendonClarendon

Fred DockFred Dock

Robert CerveroRobert Cervero

Maureen Maureen McAveyMcAvey

Doug PorterDoug Porter

Bob DunphyBob Dunphy

Thanks!Robert T. Dunphy

202-603-9907