A Framework for Effective Transit-Oriented Development

An article by Brendan Hurley in Momentum offers “a brief overview into a strategic framework for urban development that prioritizes sustainable and transit-friendly living” informed by lessons gleaned from Vancouver’s TransLink transit authority using ‘6 Ds.’

“Shaped by a commitment to enhancing transit corridors and discouraging unnecessary driving, the outlined strategies aim to create urban environments that are not only well-connected but also environmentally conscious, fostering a balance between functionality and sustainability,” Hurley writes.

The first D, destinations, emphasizes the need for TOD projects to be in appropriate, high-demand locations. The second, distance, calls for a “fine-grained” pedestrian, bike, and transit network that keeps walking distances manageable between as many destinations as possible.

Other principles include design for bikes and pedestrians, density, and diversity: “A mix of housing types, uses, tenures, sizes, price points, retail, leisure and employment opportunities allows a resilient balance of activities and jobs in easy walking and biking range.”

The final D, demand management, calls for “Measures that make it less easy to drive or that express the real cost of car use” to promote a shift to more sustainable transit modes.