Drew- TOD

REASONS FOR USING TOD Rapidly growing traffic congestion nation-wide Growing dislike 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 Growing national support for Smart Growth New focus of Federal policy Traffic congestion has increased so much in virtually every metropolitan area that two-hour commutes now are routine.  Attempts to alleviate the problem by constructing more highways almost always have led to more sprawl and, eventually, more congestion.

PARTS OF TOD Walkable design with pedestrian as the highest priority Train station as prominent feature of town center A regional node containing a mixture of uses in close proximity including office, residential, retail, and civic uses High density, high-quality development within 10-minute walk circle surrounding train station Collector support transit systems including trolleys, streetcars, light rail, and buses, etc. Designed to include the easy use of bicycles, scooters, and rollerblades as daily support transportation systems Reduced and managed parking inside 10-minute walk circle around town center / train station

BENEFITS OF 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

Transit Oriented Development as an approach to combat traffic congestion and protect the environment has caught on all across the country.  The trick for real estate developers has always been identifying the hot transportation system.  Today, highways are out; urban transit systems are in.