Why Transit Is Only Marginally Important to Transit-Oriented Development

In addition to some interesting findings regarding the relative benefits of investment in bus rapid transit, a new report from ITDP reached some fascinating conclusions concerning the factors most important to maximizing transit investment.

1 minute read

September 26, 2013, 5:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Perhaps the most surprising item in the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy's (ITDP) new report on maximizing transit investment, says Eric Jaffe, is the fact that transit quality has "a limited role in predicting transit-oriented development". 

"So what mattered most to TOD success? Government intervention, says ITDP. When local government did almost nothing to promote TOD, a new transit line generated only a nominal amount of economic investment," notes Jaffe. "Only when strong government intervention occurred was a transit line assured of generating a great deal of TOD success."

"Rezoning a corridor to encourage mixed-use development, creating a comprehensive plan for the area, actively reaching out to investors, marketing the program, offering financial incentives — these elements of a strong official involvement directly predicted TOD success."

Tuesday, September 24, 2013 in The Atlantic Cities

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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