east liberty station: realizing the potential - City of Pittsburgh

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Understanding TOD
Over the last two decades the concept
of Transit Oriented Development has
advanced from an approach to reforming
suburban development advocated in books
like Peter Calthorpe’s Next American
Metropolis to a much more nuanced
way of understanding how landuse
and transportation can be organized in
relation to one another to create a more
sustainable, functional and equitable urban
region.
A leader in TOD research is the Center
for Transit Oriented Development a
national nonprofit “dedicated to providing
best practices, research and tools to
support market-based transit-oriented
development.” CTOD has advanced the
concept of TOD, providing design and
development principles for transit oriented
development.
Over the last fifteen years there have also
been a number of conscious attempts
at transit oriented development in both
suburban and urban contexts.
Finally transit operators and planners have
begun to embrace TOD as strategy to build
support to expand transit systems, increase
ridership, and better integrate existing
transit facilities into their contexts.
Principles and Best Practices: TOD 101 - CTOD
Transit Oriented Development Guidelines - Marta
TOD provides a synergy between
economic, land use, transportation,
environmental, housing and social equity
goals. By facilitating public transit
use, this development type can reduce
dependence on fossil fuels, lower resident’s
transportation costs, ease congestion,
improve safety, promote walking/health
and improve environmental quality. It
can also be a catalyst for neighborhood
revitalization through new investment as
resident’s are better connected to jobs,
commercial activity and services.
Local Benefits:
• Revitalization – especially vacant or
underutilized parcels
• Access to goods, services and
employment
• Reduced transportation costs – 2nd
largest household expense in the United
States(30%+ of a household’s budget)
• Additional housing options
• Public safety for pedestrians
Regional Benefits:
• Reduced burden on infrastructure
• Reduced air pollution and carbon
emissions
This study draws on all of these sources in
considering TOD for East Liberty, looking
to CTOD for principles and best practices,
recent examples of TOD guidelines from
Atlanta and three station area case studies.
Recent TOD: Del Mar Station - Downtown Pasadena
• Reduced traffic congestion
• Smart growth sprawl reduction
• Improved access to employment
centers
East Liberty TRID Study | Pittsburgh Department of City Planning