Transit Oriented Development 

(TOD) is a type of community development that includes a mixture of

residential and Commercial Centers, and other amenities integrated into a neighborhood, designed to
maximize the access to public transportation. We have found 3 more results for TOD.

7 Principles for Transit-Oriented Development

By managing growth that is compact, coordinated, and connected, transit-oriented development (TOD) prioritizes people
over cars. Photo by Fred Inklaar.

Nossa Cidade (“Our City”), from TheCityFix Brasil, explores critical questions for building more
sustainable cities. Every month features a new theme. Leaning on the expertise of researchers and
specialists in WRI’s sustainable urban mobility team in Brazil, the series will feature in depth articles
on urban planning, sustainable mobility, gender, resilience, and other key themes for sparking more
sustainable development in our cities.

Poorly planned urban expansion is increasingly distancing people from jobs, services and the
opportunities that enable them to live a high quality life in cities. There are currently 170
million Brazilians in urban areas living with the consequences of decades of car-driven
development. To reverse this trend and ensure a more sustainable future for all, integrating land use
policy and transport planning is essential.
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world in terms of population and land area, but its pattern of
urbanization has been sprawled, uncoordinated, and disconnected. The present situation not only
demands motorized trips, but also causes congestion and harmful environmental impacts, and
burdens citizens, especially those with lower incomes who spend significant time using transport.

Fortunately, we know how to bring cities onto a more sustainable path with transit-oriented
development (TOD). This model of urban planning focuses on dense, compact, mixed-use
neighborhoods with vibrant streets and safe public spaces for social interaction.

TOD is the key to more efficient, sustainable, and equitable communities because it prioritizes the
“3Cs”: compact, coordinated and connected. By following a TOD approach, decision makers and
urban planners can strengthen their communities.

Cities can ensure TOD by focusing on the following seven principles :

1. Quality Public Transit

Photo by Mariana Gil / WRI Brazil | EMBARQ Brazil.

Public transit is strongly linked to urban development. High quality, convenient transport depends on
dense and connected neighborhoods. The goal of a transport system is to connect a high number of
riders with the city in a comfortable, efficient, and affordable way.

2. Active Transport
Photo by Mariana Gil / WRI Brazil | EMBARQ Brazil.

The interests of pedestrians and cyclists should be at the heart of urban planning. Decision making
should shift residents—particularly car users—to active transport. Many commuters already take two
non-motorized trips on a daily basis by walking to and from transit hubs to their homes or cars. It is
important to build on this and encourage non-motorized transport holistically.

3. Car Use Management

Photo by Mariana Gil / WRI Brazil | EMBARQ Brazil.

Car use and parking policies play an important role in creating a safe, human-oriented urban
environment. Since the 1980s, cars have dominated Brazilian cities. Despite individual car trips
accounting for 27.4 percent of all urban trips (or 36 percent in cities with over one million residents),
car infrastructure is supported with four times the amount of investment that public transit receives.

4. Mixed-Use Neighborhoods with Efficient Buildings

Photo by Paul Krueger / Flickr.

A mixture of land uses enhances the local economy by densifying and diversifying the design of the
community. Mixed-use neighborhoods favor short trips by foot or bike. Similarly, buildings should
minimize how much energy and water they consume and require for building and maintenance.

5. Neighborhood Centers and Vibrant Ground Floors

Photo by City Clock Magazine/Flickr.

A built environment with adequate public space promotes social interaction between
residents. Sustainable urban communities must be sufficiently dense and contain a variety of uses
that are complementary to residential life. Public spaces should be connected to the urban transport
network and serve as vibrant, human-centered places of activity.

6. Public Spaces

Photo by Marta Heinemann Bixby/Flickr.

The purpose of public space is not only to enhance public life and social interaction, but also to
provide a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists. Public space is the place of encounter,
exchange, and circulation within a community. All individuals have the right to access public spaces,
regardless of personal, social, or economic condition.

7. Community Participation and Collective Identity

Photo by Fabio Goiveia/Flickr.

Community participation is essential to building a vibrant, inclusive neighborhood that is safe and
equitable. Stimulating community participation creates a more equitable, harmonious relationship
between varying social groups living in the same area. Respecting the unique identity of local
communities results in a higher share of residents engaging in civic, cultural, and economic activities,
generating a sense of belonging and ownership of the city.

Making TOD a Reality in Brazilian Cities

WRI Brazil | Brazil EMBARQ recently developed a report called “DOTS Cidades” (Portuguese for
TOD)—a guide for policy makers and urban planners for creating cities based on these seven
principles. The guide outlines concepts, design strategies, and best practices in public management,
planning and urban design, and the transport sector, as well as information about accessibility and
environmental requirements.

How Transit-Oriented Development Benefits Local

Economies
By Priscila Pacheco and Lara Caccia    June 24, 2015   

Photo by Mariana Gil / WRI Brazil | EMBARQ Brazil.

Nossa Cidade (“Our City”), from TheCityFix Brasil, explores critical questions for building more
sustainable cities. Every month features a new theme. Leaning on the expertise of researchers and
specialists in WRI’s sustainable urban mobility team in Brazil, the series will feature in depth articles
on urban planning, sustainable mobility, gender, resilience, and other key themes for sparking more
sustainable development in our cities.
While rapid growth can cause a range of problems for cities, urbanization can also be an opportunity
to change how cities are planned, making them more sustainable, people-centered
places. Rethinking current patterns of expansion for a more compact and connected model can
expand employment opportunity, access to quality public spaces, the supply of sustainable transport,
and enhance economic activity.

Many cities are currently growing with a “3D” model of development—distant, dispersed, and
disconnected. Expansion without proper planning leads to spatial and social segregation, while also
increasing congestion, pollution, and daily travel times. Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a
model for planning sustainable urban communities with compact neighborhoods, high population
densities, diverse land uses, and abundant public spaces. The goal is to ensure sustainability mobility
and economic development.

Compact neighborhoods generate more accessible job opportunities. Mixed land uses and diverse
activities at the street level encourage pedestrian traffic, stimulating commerce and the local
economy. By planning transit smartly to manage growth, TOD is an excellent vehicle for economic
development.

Urban Planning for a Stronger Economy

Low population densities and suburban sprawl increase infrastructure and maintenance costs, and
cause additional social costs by requiring people to traveling longer distances. In 2013, congestion
recorded in the metropolitan regions of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro cost Brazilians BRL $98 billion,
equivalent to 2 percent of GDP that year. Taking into account the costs resulting from traffic accidents
and health impacts, that number would be even higher.

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a “3C” model for development—compact, connected,

and coordinated—that has a direct impact on urban mobility and the economy. TOD reduces travel
times, congestion, and emissions—expanding access to different areas of the city and thus
stimulating economic activity.
Comfort and safety is necessary for active transport and non-motorized mobility. Photo by Mariana Gil / WRI Brazil |
EMBARQ Brazil.

When public transport is designed to serve sparsely populated areas over long distances, service
often becomes inefficient. Sprawled systems end up operating at irregular hours, with fewer routes
and stations. As a result, both operating costs and user fares go up.

Therefore, one principle of TOD is simply quality public transport. With the quality of public
transport directly related to how cities develop, it’s critical that neighborhoods are connected and
invest in infrastructure. Good service helps attract new users, reducing car dependency and costs for
both people and local governments.

Affordable and efficient service helps connect people to the city. Photo by Mariana Gil / WRI Brazil | EMBARQ Brazil.

Next to quality public transportation, TOD prioritizes non-motorized mobility and car use

management. By providing pedestrian-friendly conditions, bike infrastructure, and comfortable and
safe public transport, cities can help balance car use. Doing so helps reduce the number of accidents
and traffic fatalities, improves public health, and avoids significant health spending .

Another way that TOD can benefit local economies is through mixed land use. Many current housing
developments—particularly affordable housing—are not located near urban services and commercial
activity. This gap between residents’ needs and their access to resources creates real costs for both
people and governments. In addition to the direct costs of travel fares, sprawl wastes the opportunity
to generate income at a local level. On the other hand, mixed land use enhances economic activity by
diversifying the types of goods and services readily accessible.
Infrastructure and public furniture makes for a more vibrant and diverse urban environment. Photo by Oran Viriyincy /
Flickr.

Neighborhoods without commercial activity or high-quality public spaces force residents to travel in
order to access the resources they need. Vibrant neighborhood centers and active ground levels
facilitate social interaction and avoid the need to travel. This is one way to orient neighborhoods
around vital economic activity with a steady circulation of people.

Active neighborhood centers that are attractive can help stimulate the local economy. Photo by Mariana Gil / WRI Brazil |
EMBARQ Brazil.
Neighborhoods that more connected require fewer and shorter daily trips. Prioritizing active transport
reduces congestion and emissions and expands access to opportunities throughout the city. The
planning model we use determines how we move about cities, how much time we spend in transit,
and how much money we have to spend. TOD reduces individual and public spending, ensuring a
better quality of life for all.

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

INSTITUTE
Home

 
Transit Oriented Development is the exciting fast growing trend in  
creating vibrant, livable, sustainable communities. Also known as TOD, it's the
creation of compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities
centered around high quality train systems. This makes it possible to live a
lower-stress life without complete dependence on a car for mobility and survival.

Transit oriented development is regional planning, city revitalization, suburban

renewal, and walkable neighborhoods combined. TOD is rapidly sweeping the
nation with the creation of exciting people places in city after city. The public
has embraced the concept across the nation as the most desirable places to live,
work, and play. Real estate developers have quickly followed to meet the high
demand for quality urban places served by rail systems.

Transit oriented development is also a major solution to the serious and growing
problems of climate change and global energy security by creating dense,
walkable communities that greatly reduce the need for driving and energy
consumption. This type of living arrangement can reduce driving by up to 85%.

 
  
 

FACTORS DRIVING THE TREND TOWARD TOD

-Rapidly growing, mind-numbing traffic congestion nation-wide

-Growing distaste 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: more singles, empty-nesters, etc
-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."  -Jim Miara

COMPONENTS OF TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

-Walkable design with pedestrian as the highest priority

-Train station as prominent feature of town center
-Public square fronting train station
-A regional node containing a mixture of uses in close proximity (office, residential, retail, civic)
-High density, walkable district within 10-minute walk circle surrounding train station
-Collector support transit systems including streetcar, light rail, and buses, etc
-Designed to include the easy use of bicycles and scooters as daily support transport
-Large ride-in bicycle parking areas within stations
-Bikeshare rental system and bikeway network integrated into stations 
-Reduced and managed parking inside 10-minute walk circle around town center / train station
-Specialized retail at stations serving commuters and locals including cafes, grocery, dry cleaners

 
BENEFITS OF TOD

-Higher quality of life with better places to live, work, and play
-Greater mobility with ease of moving around
-Increased transit ridership
-Reduced traffic congestion, 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, reduced pollution and environmental damage
-Reduced incentive to sprawl, increased incentive for compact development
-Less expensive than building roads and sprawl
-Enhanced ability to maintain economic competitiveness

 
"Denver is building 119 miles of light rail and 70 new stations in a decade, creating huge
development opportunities to make the region more livable and sustainable." -Reconnecting
America

 
 
"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." -The Urban Land Institute (ULI)

 
-Transit investment has double the economic benefit to a city than does highway investment.
-Transit can enable a city to use market forces to increase densities near stations, where most
services are located, thus creating more efficient subcenters and minimizing sprawl.
-Transit enables a city to be more corridor-oriented, making it easier to provide infrastructure.
-Transit enhances the overall economic efficiency of a city; denser cities with less car use and more
transit use spend a lower proportion of their gross regional product or wealth on passenger
transportation.  - From Sustainability and Cities, by Newman & Kenworthy

 
  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sustainability

 
Transit Oriented Development is at the very heart and soul of sustainability, and brings together compact,
walkable communities with high quality rail systems. This creates low carbon lifestyles by enabling people to
live, work, and play without depending on a car for mobility. This type of lifestyle can reduce energy
consumption and driving by up to 85%.

Well designed TOD empowers people with the choice to walk, cycle, or take public transportation to meet their
daily needs by providing greater transit accessibility and a mix of uses within the community fabric. This is an
urban development response to the congestion, carbon emissions, and inefficiency of single-use, suburban
sprawl.

Transit oriented development is a set of transportation and land use planning principles and strategies that are
sweeping the nation by connecting communities with vibrant, people-centric places in city after city. The public
has embraced the concept, and real estate developers have quickly followed to meet the high demand for quality
urban places served by rail systems. This is not only because TOD can offer a higher quality of life, but because
it offers a triple bottom line solution to economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

 
                           UNSUSTAINABLE & TOXIC                    SUSTAINABLE & GREEN

  "The choice is ours—yours and mine. We can stay with business as usual and  
preside over an economy that continues to destroy its natural support systems
until it destroys itself, or we can adopt Plan B and be the generation that changes
direction, moving the world onto a path of sustained progress. The choice will be
made by our generation, but it will affect life on earth for all generations to
come." -Lester Brown

 
      RENEWABLE ENERGY                          ELECTRIC RAIL                  WALKABLE TOD
COMMUNITIES

True sustainability includes all three components:  Renewable energy, national electric rail network, and dense,
walkable TODs around all the stations. A national HSR network is the centerpiece of a sustainable America,
and will significantly reduce congestion and our dependence on cars and oil, while cutting our carbon emissions
by epic proportions. The entire system can be powered by clean, safe renewable energy including wind, solar,
geothermal, and ocean/tidal.

Clean electric trains are a major form of daily transportation in numerous countries, and are the single most
powerful transportation choice that can solve serious mobility, energy, environmental, economic, health, and
social problems simultaneously - on a global scale.
When combined wtih extensive rail systems, TODs complete the sustainable community model as stand-alone
communities, or a series of towns strung along a rail line like pearls on a string. TODs are the integration of
community design with rail system planning, enabling better functioning communities and regions at all scales.

Low density, spread-out places force everyone to drive for every trip, resulting in a large carbon
footprint. Compact and walkable places are far more green.
 
 
 Sustainable transportation for America - 3-tiered electric rail network
 
High speed rail is the backbone of a national, rail-based transportation system. When combined with regional
rail, light rail, metro systems, streetcars and trams, a complete and integrated rail network is achieved enabling
easy, fast mobility throughout the system. Coordinating and encouraging compact, mixed-use development
around the rail stations completes the system by enabling people to live, work, and play along the system
without the need for a car. Together, these save time, money, energy, and lives while providing the 21st century,
green and sustainable lifestyle for all.

 
 
"It is extremely likely that human influence has been
the dominant cause of the observed warming since the
mid-20th century." -IPCC Report, 2014.  ("Extremely
likely" is defined in the report as above 95% chance).

"The SYR confirms that human influence on the

climate system is clear and growing, with impacts
observed across all continents and oceans.  Many of the
observed changes since the 1950s are unprecedented
over decades to millennia. The IPCC is now 95 percent
certain that humans are the main cause of current global
warming. In addition, the SYR finds that the more
human activities disrupt the climate, the greater the
risks of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for
people and ecosystems, and long-lasting changes in all
components of the climate system." 

"The SYR highlights that we have the means to limit

climate change and its risks, with many solutions that
allow for continued economic and human development.
However, stabilizing temperature increase to below 2°C
relative to pre-industrial levels will require an urgent
and fundamental departure from business as usual.
Moreover, the longer we wait to take action, the more it
will cost and the greater the technological, economic,
social and institutional challenges we will face."

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
  

Research

Reports

Books
Videos

 
TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT STATIONS

Stations are the connecting point between the

rail system and the city - the place where
everything comes together. Stations represent
the facilities where patrons encounter the transit
system and experience its image, service, and
convenience. Proper location and design can
elevate stations to become important civic icons
of a city.

Stations are also connecting points to other

forms of transit and mobility including other
rail systems, light rail and streetcars, buses,
taxis, automobiles, bicycles, and walking.
Station design, location, and operations strongly
affect passenger convenience, comfort, and
safety, as well as ridership levels and frequency.

Station design and operations also strongly

affect service reliability, operating speed, and
line capacity. There is a hierarchy of station
scale and design with varying components that
are appropriate for different system types and
locations.

 
  
GETTING STATION LAYOUT RIGHT
Getting the layout of the station right is one of the most important early moves that will lock in desirable or
undesirable patterns, and dictate many factors including pedestrian and bicycle use, level of traffic all around
the station, quality of station area development, location of cafes and retail, and overall success of the rail
system. Avoid the conventional "station in a parking lot" scenario shown below on the left.

 
           STATION IN THE PARKINGLOT STATION IN THE CITY
           STATION IN THE PARKINGLOT
Rail station modeled after an airport - isolated,
separate from city, only access by car or bus - adding
delays and additional complications to people's
travels
Dangerous and unpleasant for pedestrians,
discourages walking to and from the station
STATION IN THE CITY
. Station modeled after downtown rail stations -
directly embedded and integrated into the city -
accessible by walking, car, bus, and transit
Safe, pleasant, lively environment encourages
walking to station, shopping, hanging out in cafes,
etc.

Dangerous for bicycles and discourages riding to and Safe for bicycles, easy access, plenty of bike
from station parking in multiple locations around station

Increases vehicular traffic, noise, pollution, accidents
and delays all around the station
Discourages integration with surrounding city;
discourages quality real estate development - cafes &
retail surrounding the station
Reduces vehicular traffic to, and around the
station; high percent of people arrive on foot or
bicycle
Station directly integrates into the city,
encouraging high quality cafes, restaurants, retail,
commercial, and residential development right up
to the door of station

 
 
HIERARCHY OF STATION
TYPES AND SCALES 

The size and scale of the stations and

surrounding development depend on their
location in the region, the types of rail service
using the station, and the development potential
of surrounding land. 

The range of 'TOD place types' is outlined

by Reconnecting America:

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
  
 
 

Using the Typology to Define TOD Program Investments

The nine place types provide the first step in an investment strategy for the Metro TOD Program. However, many of the place types
face similar challenges, and clusters of place types would benefit from similar investment strategies. To address this, the place types
are grouped in three clusters that are commonly positioned for investments and implementation actions that could be administered by
the TOD Program. The place type clusters are described in Figure 22. Each of the clusters is described below and illustrated with case
examples from existing stations and corridors in the Portland region.

Plan and Partner Cluster

Plan and Partner transit communities are currently the lowest priority areas for direct investments in new developments, since these
areas lack many of the key market and physical features needed to ensure that Metro TOD Program investments will leverage further
investment or catalyze an emerging market. However, these are areas where the region has made important transit investments and
long range planning is needed to ensure that the full value of these investments is captured in the future.

Place Types Included: Transit Related (Limited), Transit Adjacent (Limited), Transit Adjacent (Emerging)
Broad Investment Approach: Participate in station area and corridor planning efforts as they occur; work with local governments to
encourage this type of planning; offer connections between local governments who have identified infrastructure or other non-
development investments needed to support TOD, and other entities who may be able to help fund such needs.
Figure 23: Map of Plan & Partner stations and corridors.

Plan & Partner in a Corridor Segment: Middle Barbur (area outside of Downtown to Hwy 217)

Barbur Boulevard is a major arterial and part of historic interstate Highway 99, providing connections between downtown Portland, SW
Portland neighborhoods and neighboring communities. Frequent bus route 12 serves this corridor. Barbur is a primary thoroughfare
typified by automobile-oriented land uses. The central portion of the corridor is identified as a Plan and Partner area in the TOD
typology. The well-established neighborhoods lining the corridor are characterized by large setbacks and streets designed for high
speeds and low connectivity. Pedestrian access is limited due to a disconnected street grid and barriers such as I-5—which runs
parallel to the corridor—and gaps in the sidewalk network. In order to elevate Barbur Boulevard to a walkable and well-served transit
neighborhood, long-range corridor planning must integrate a more intense and efficient use of developable land with the transportation
investments planned for the corridor—most notably high capacity transit. Being designated a transit corridor of regional significance,
ODOT, the City of Portland, local residents, and businesses must take part in a visioning process to determine whether the primary land
use and transportation goals surround mobility or access and placemaking. Metro’s key roles in the short term are planning support,
providing technical assistance in association with upcoming corridor planning, and potentially funding station area planning.

Plan & Partner in a Station Area: Green Line + Westside + Eastside Commuter Stations

Clackamas Town Center Transit Center on the MAX Green Line, identified as a Plan and Partner area in the TOD typology, is an
example of a Transit Adjacent commuter station. Clackamas is supplemented by 10 local feeder routes and a 750-space parking
structure. Despite the station’s presence within the Clackamas Regional Center, a key regional shopping and employment center,
pedestrian connections are limited due to its location next to I-205, low street connectivity, large surface parking lots and a general lack
of land use orientation toward the station. Station area planning must occur in order to better integrate transit with existing and future
development. Strategic partnerships between Metro, Trimet, and land owners is a critical element of leveraging catalytic mixed use and
residential development within walking distance of the station. In the short term, Metro’s key roles could include technical assistance,
planning support and offering dedicated funding for future station area planning efforts, as well as engaging and connecting local public
and private actors with information and support.

Catalyze & Connect Cluster

Catalyze & Connect transit communities are areas demonstrating either a strong transit orientation but limited market support or transit
related urban form and emerging market support. Theoretically, this cluster could also include stronger markets with transit adjacent
characteristics, but in practice, no stations or corridor currently exhibit this condition.

Place Types Included: Transit Oriented (Limited), Transit Related (Emerging), Transit Adjacent (Stronger).
Broad Investment Approach: These areas offer some physical and/or market foundation for supporting transit oriented development,
but are not yet able to achieve TOD building types given their current market or physical context. Projects that help to catalyze future
private development, and increase activity levels through density and/or urban living infrastructure are appropriate. There is also
opportunity to work with local and regional jurisdictions to develop infrastructure that enhances the pedestrian orientation of the street
network and provides better connectivity for all modes. The TOD Program does not make infrastructure investments, but can help
identify key improvements and work with regional partners to advance those projects.
Figure 25: Map of Catalyze & Connect stations and corridors.

Catalyze & Connect a Corridor Segment: SE Foster Rd.

SE Foster Road is a classic automobile-oriented arterial connecting outer SE Portland and the historic Lents neighborhood with
downtown Portland and the Powell, Division, and Hawthorne commercial corridor districts. Foster is served by frequent bus route 14.
The corridor segments between Lents and Powell Blvd. are identified as a Catalyze and Connect corridor in the TOD typology. Land
uses and transportation infrastructure are almost exclusively oriented toward automobile use although various pockets of medium
density mixed use land uses occur. Although street connectivity in the residential neighborhoods surrounding Foster is relatively high,
the current streetscape design and land uses along Foster do not promote a walkable, urban lifestyle. In the short-term, Metro could
promote workforce housing development and provide technical support with implementation studies. Considering the amount of
underutilized and vacant land parcels and lower market value, Metro could invest in market rate medium-density TOD projects as away
to catalyze further investment.

Catalyze & Connect a Station Area: Hillsboro Central

The Hillsboro Central is a station area served by MAX Blue Line offering a convenient transit connection to downtown Hillsboro,
Beaverton, and downtown Portland. The station area is well served by local retail, a walkable street grid, and multiple civic and
institutional land uses. Within the TOD typology, Hillsboro Central is a Catalyze and Connect area. Hillsboro Central is relative well-
oriented toward transit, yet the market for TOD is immature at present. Land uses are currently low density in nature which creates a
barrier in catalyzing a meaningful connection to transit. A catalytic development project is a crucial step in encouraging TOD
investments into the future. Metro’s role in the short term could be to provide implementation support, invest in market rate TOD
projects, and offer financial support to develop workforce housing.

Infill & Enhance Cluster

Infill & enhance transit communities are the most “TOD ready” in the region outside of downtown Portland. Some of these areas may
need little support from Metro to support the market investment in quality TOD, but others areas are transforming more slowly and
should be top priorities for catalytic investments.

General Characteristics: strong urban character including medium to higher densities, a mix of activities, quality urban form and
transportation options combined with moderate to stronger market strength. The private market may support infill and moderate density
mixed-use, but may not be able to meet the aspirations or potential for transit rich station and corridor communities.
Place Types Included: Transit Oriented (Emerging), Transit Oriented (Stronger), Transit Related (Stronger)
Broad Investment Approach: Promote more intensive infill development, and enhancement of local services and amenities. Given their
existing pedestrian- and bicycle-oriented environments, significant changes to the street network are not always needed in these areas,
but enhancement of local goods and services, and placemaking via urban living infrastructure development could help maximize local
TOD potential and catalyze further private market investment. In general, the TOD Program will likely make more limited investments in
these areas, except in the case of important strategic opportunities that may include investments in prototypical projects, Urban Living
Infrastructure or workforce/affordable housing.
Figure 27: Map of Infill & Enhance stations and corridors.
Infill & Enhance a Station Area: Hollywood Transit Center

Hollywood Transit Center is a key transit facility served by the MAX Blue, Red, and Green Lines and connecting local bus service
(Routes 12, 66, 75, and 77). The Hollywood station area is categorized as an Infill & Enhance TOD typology. Hollywood currently offers
the density, land use diversity, pedestrian infrastructure, and regional transportation assets of an urban district. In order to enhance the
station area, several key actions must be taken. High-density infill is slowly occurring with several larger scale mixed-use projects,
although the connections to the Transit Center are negligible. Similarly, I-84 and Sandy Blvd. are significant barriers to station access.
Thus, Metro’s role in the short-term could be to promote seamless integration of high density development within and oriented toward
the station by acquiring development parcels, investing in more aggressive building types, and aiding the integration of urban living
infrastructure along Sandy, Broadway, and streets that feed into the station.

Infill & Enhance a Corridor Segment: Inner Division

The inner Division Street corridor, categorized as an Infill & Enhance area in the TOD typology, is a relatively dense commercial
corridor supported by medium-density small lot residential development. Division is served by frequent service route 4, which connects
SE neighborhoods with downtown Portland and Gresham Transit Center. Although it serves as a key east-west traffic street, Division is
becoming more urban in nature as adjacent neighborhoods use the corridor as a walkable outlet for retail and vital services. This is
enabled by the inner Division neighborhood’s dense network of local streets, bicycle boulevards and many pedestrian improvements
along the corridor. High-density, mixed-use infill development is already underway which creates an opportunity to leverage an
impending wave of TOD along Division. Metro’s key roles in the short-term could be to facilitate placemaking and good urban design,
promote a mix of land uses and income groups, and push for higher densities given the amenity richness of the corridor.

TOD Investment Strategies and Phasing

Figure 29: Composite TOD cluster types.

Overlaying all of the place types and clusters shows the mosaic of conditions throughout the region (see Figure 29). Using the TOD
Typology and Framework as a guide, this suggests that different investment tools and strategies, as well as different phasing of
investments will be needed in different locations.

Each given place type will require a different mix of actions to maximize future TOD potential, ranging from technical support and
visioning, to significant infrastructure investments, to station area planning, and more detailed implementation efforts. With the right set
of activities and investments, any of the transit communities could support TOD, but some are more likely to support market-rate TOD
sooner than others.

The three clusters roughly correspond with three stages of potential TOD readiness:

 Infill and Enhance place types offer short-term TOD opportunities, in that they have the market and physical conditions to
support TOD today. But to make these places the best that they can be, public agencies might pursue a range of activities that
enhance local amenities and push for continued reduction in auto dependence.
 Catalyze and Connect place types offer mid-term TOD opportunities, in that they might support certain types of development
today and offer some opportunity, but to fully maximize TOD opportunities specifically, certain interventions are needed.
 Plan and Partner place types offer long-term TOD opportunities. To truly bring these areas to a place where they can support
TOD, these areas require significant interventions which are likely to take longer to achieve.

The TOD Typology and Framework methodology means that over time, individual transit communities should be able to enhance their
performance on both the market and urban character measures by pursuing a variety of activities related to planning, revitalization, and
access improvements. As this process occurs, individual transit communities would be reclassified into new place types and clusters.
However not all of the activities needed to promote TOD fall within the work plan of the TOD Program specifically. Ideally, in the long
term this typology could offer an organizing framework around which public agencies in the region coordinate the full range of TOD
investments.
Using the TOD Framework to Identify Investment Strategies
The TOD Program has a role to play in each of the nine place types, although that role varies from involvement of program staff in
technical assistance on planning efforts, to direct investment in development projects. Figure 30 shows how the TOD Program can use
the nine place type categories to determine which strategies are appropriate in each of the nine place types, and Figure 31, on the
following pages, describes each investment approach in detail.

In addition, the TOD Typology and Framework helps Metro TOD Program staff make decisions about three key aspects of program
investments:

 Investment Phasing
 Partnerships
 Conditional Investments

Individual transit communities can move from one place type to another as local market strength changes, or as activity levels increase
and local infrastructure improvements enhance transit orientation. The place types offer a way to gauge what types of TOD Program
investments make sense when local conditions in an area shift. Moreover, significant financial investment by the TOD Program will
generally be directed to locations with local government support (incentives, regulatory, etc) for TOD principles, so that program
investments are best leveraged.. Therefore, policy and political changes, or improvements in local planning efforts, can open up areas
to new types of investments from the TOD Program. The TOD typology also provides guidance to Metro and local jurisdictions about
phasing of investments, including short-, medium-, and long-term actions.

Partnerships

To optimize the project-specific investment strategies of the TOD Program, these activities must be complemented with planning,
community outreach, development incentives, and infrastructure development activities from other local jurisdictions, agencies, and
Metro Programs. Figures 32 and 33 identify strategies where the TOD Program can play a supporting role in long-range planning for
infrastructure and land use regulation, and not just where the TOD Program will take a lead role in making direct investments in catalyst
projects or ULIs. While the Metro TOD Program is organized around providing small catalytic investments in market ready areas, it
should also play an important role in building support and regulatory conditions that support low-trip generation development around
transit stations and in transit corridors. Building partnerships with local jurisdictions throughout the region should continue to be a critical
focus of program activities as well as continued coordination with Metro programs that support TOD program objectives, including: Long
Range Planning, Nature and Neighborhoods, Corridor Planning, and the Regional Travel Options Program.

Conditional Investments

While the TOD Framework creates a general guide for the types of investments that are appropriate in each station area and corridor
segment, certain types of investments need to be based on the local conditions in an individual station area or corridor segment.
Investments in some aspects of TOD implementation, including affordable housing development, land acquisition, mixed-use and urban
living infrastructure, and employment uses may need to be evaluated against local market conditions and truly supportive local
partners, as evidenced by leveraging of local funds through direct contributions, abatements, SDC credits or discounts, tax increment
financing, reduced permitting fees, or other actions.

Guide to Implementation Matrices

The following matrices show the universe of activities that the TOD Program currently invests in, and could more substantially invest in
given additional funding in the future. To differentiate between activities that are core to the Program, activities that are more secondary
to the program, and activities where the program staff only play a supportive role to other agencies, each of the matrices uses the
following key:

 Bold Text: Current core activities of the TOD Program

 Regular Text: Activities of the TOD Program, but do not take as intensive a role in program staff time or resources as core
activities
 Italicized Text: Activities that the TOD Program may participate in, but more peripherally, and on an as-needed basis.

Additionally, Figure 30 describes whether the activities identified would be (“X”) critical in transit communities falling in the different
place types, (“C”) conditional depending on whether the unique characteristics of the station area or proposed project are appropriate,
or (“O”) areas of core focus for other agencies or Metro programs, but where the TOD Program would play a supporting role.

This guide is repeated within each of the Figures 30 and 31 as well.

Current TOD Investment Needs

The TOD Framework can be a tool to identify the aggregate investment needs based on the place type clusters and the identified TOD
investment activities on previous pages. Figure 32 shows the share of 55 non-central city station areas that are likely to most
immediately need each type of investment activity based on the TOD Framework. Many station may have a need for the below type of
investments (e.g. all station areas could use more equitable TOD given the severe affordable housing shortage facing the region), the
below table only identifies those areas where the strategies are most pressing and/or should be a TOD Program priority (e.g. equitable
TOD is focused in stronger market areas where it might be prohibitively expensive without the program). 

Figure 32:Distribution of most needed

investments/activities to spur TOD, across non-core
station areas
Click to enlarge

Figure 33 shows the distribution of the different

potential activities that would be needed to support
TOD across the 55 non-core station areas. The
majority of stations require investments in planning,
infrastructure, or education of community members as
a next step in supporting TOD. This figure shows that
the types of investments that are core activities of the
TOD Program – namely, direct investment in higher
intensity real estate projects, and local implementation
studies - are really only appropriate in half of the station
areas considered in this plan. Even then, the TOD
Program will not be the only entity with the ability or
responsibility to pursue these activities.

Based on this analysis, the greatest need is for station

area planning and infrastructure or other public amenity
investments (i.e. utilities upgrades to support higher
density development, or access improvements such as
sidewalks and bikeways). Neither of these two
activities/improvements is currently an activity of the
TOD Program, but instead are more a focus of local
jurisdictions. Public amenity and access
enhancements, like the Gresham Civic MAX Station,
are led by the TOD Program only as other funding
sources for TOD improvements arise.

The second most common group of recommended activities or improvements includes educational/technical assistance/resource
provision, followed by investments in catalytic market-rate TOD projects, and implementation/predevelopment studies (i.e. market and
development feasibility studies and financing strategies). All of these activities can currently be funded or performed by the Program,
although much of the Program’s implementation work has occurred through the Development Opportunity Find, which only has a
temporary, two-year funding source and a limited focus on downtowns and centers.

A smaller share of station areas have immediate needs for investments in equitable TOD, land acquisition and employment uses, and
urban living infrastructure to enhance their TOD potential. Equitable TOD in this case focuses on development of lower-income,
workforce and mixed-income housing in station areas where such development would otherwise be priced out (i.e. stronger market
place types). In addition to market-rate TOD and implementation studies, these investments represent the core activities of the TOD
Program.