On Route

"Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a concept that today’s urban planners bandy about as gleefully as if they had invented it. But communities have always developed along transportation routes, and savvy real estate developers have always been there to lead or participate in their growth. The earliest settlements were established at river bends and coastal harbors. Waterways offered a ready supply of fish, but equally important, they provided the fastest and safest routes between villages. In the American westward migration, settlements clustered at convenient stopping points along the dusty trail, and later beside railroad stations. The 20th century’s interstate highway system and urban beltways spurred development that quickly sprawled out from the highways’ interchanges." Editor's note: The full text of this story is only available to members of the Urban Land Institute.

Thanks to Urban Land Magazine