TOD Version 2.0: Lessons Learned and Trends in California TOD

Going to San Bernardino: A Symposium on Intermodal Transit

Stations and Transit-Oriented Design

Jack R. Widmeyer Transportation Research Conference

Dr. Richard Willson, FAICPDepartment of Urban and Regional Planning

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Leonard Transportation Center

Transit-oriented development

►Transit-focused development

►Higher densities

►Mixed land uses

► Interconnected streets and sidewalks

►Human scale design

►TOD … the intersection of good transit planning and good community development planning

TOD Version 1.0

►On fixed rail (BART, San Diego Trolley, LA rail)

►On station property and within ¼ mile

►Vertical mixed use concepts (Fruitvale Village, Oakland)

► Economic challenges related to parking

Version 1.0 Successes

►Mature transit systems and TOD networks (BART)

► Progressive policy support: parking pricing, design, TDM, etc. (Sacramento)

► Integration with preexisting land use/transit strategy (Vancouver, BC)

► Pent up demand for high quality, transit-adjacent housing

Version 1.0 Weaknesses

►Use of inexpensive ROW with poor integration – TOD/TAD “islands”

►Transit connectivity and service frequency

►Mixed-use; housing market dynamics

►Counter incentives, e.g., free plentiful parking, road expansion

What is wrong with this donut hole?

California TOD Study

► Travel Characteristics of Transit-Oriented Development in California (2004) Comprehensive study of TOD sites throughout California Lund, Cervero and Willson Report available on line at

http://www.csupomona.edu/~rwwillson/

► Sites studied: Light rail: San Diego Trolley, Los Angeles Blue Line, San

Jose VTA, Sacramento Heavy rail: Los Angeles Red Line, BART Commuter rail: San Diego Coaster, LA Metrolink, Caltrain

► Separate study of Pasadena Gold Line

► No Inland Empire sites, no BTOD

Travel behavior impacts vary…

Transit Commute Mode Share (Rail and Bus)

26.5

44.937.8

3.313 17.4

5.413.8

5.8 6.6 4.2 4.8

01020304050

60708090

100

All Residential

Sites

BART: Pleasant

Hill

BART: S.

Alameda Cnty

LA Metro: Long

Beach

SD Trolley:

Mission Valley

Caltrain

Commuter

Tot

al tr

ips

(%)

Surveyed Sites Surrounding City

TOD Version 2.0

►What can we learn from three decades of experience?

►What will the next generation of TOD look like?

Best practice - transit service

►From Brown and Thompson (2009) study of transit agencies:

Adopt a multidestination vision for regional transit;

Use rail transit as the system backbone with high quality connecting bus

Recognize non-CBD travel market; serve regional activity centers, non-work trips

Encourage and ease transfers

Best practice - land use and community development

►Coordinated station area planning – transit agency, local jurisdiction

►Parking – supply, pricing, management

►Vertical mixed use to the extent feasible

►Brownfield development/redevelopment

►Multimodal accessibility – walk, bike, transit, shuttle, car

Trends

►Bus and commuter rail TOD

►Smart Growth aligns with climate change agenda (Ewing – Growing Cooler)

►Network effects as transit expanded (LA)

►Transit service improvements – (OCTA 30 minute service goal; local connectors)

►More brownfield sites (outdated retail)

Supporting factors

►Policy– AB 32, SB 375

►Financial – state bond funds

►Demography – aging population; work at home; variety of housing types

►Cultural changes re: automobility

►Return of traffic congestion (sorry)

►Energy prices + climate change regulation

Hazards/Impediments

►Economic downturn Pace of development

Land use mix►Retail feasibility

►Project phasing – back to horizontal mixed use?

►Community backlash against density Overselling – area vs. regional congestion

Lesser impacts of suburban TOD

►Failure to reform local plans and ordinances

Coherent planning frameworks

►SACOG RTP – transit vision

►SCAG - Blueprint planning

►BART – access plans and station area plans

►Caltrain – access policy

►LA Metro – Red Line joint development

►Anaheim – local plans

Commuter rail TOD

►Anaheim ARTIC multimodal facility Transition from commuter rail to HSR

Broaden from journey to work

Linkage with Platinum Triangle TOD

District-based shared parking potential

►Vista Canyon Ranch proposal, Santa Clarita Relocation of station for optimal design integration

Alignment with pockets of suburban density

Leveraging unmet retail demand

Bus TOD

►El Monte Transit Village

Design integration of bus terminal facility

Frequent headways and fast bus travel times to Union Station

Shared parking/pricing

Multi-agency agreements

Affordable housing

Widen TOD market area with access

►Widen TOD market area with station access planning (Caltrain)

►Walk/bike trips

►Subscription shuttles

►Neighborhood electric vehicles

Development on station property

►Replacing commuter parking with TOD

►BART methodology – fiscal analysis

►Impact on development feasibility

►MacArthur station case – 600 to 300 commuter spaces

Parking regulation, pricing, and management

►On-street parking management in TOD development areas and surrounding neighborhoods

►Parking cash out/charges at the workplace

►Parking unbundling/charges at residences

►Demand-based minimum parking requirements

Inland Empire Research

►Information on bus and commuter rail TOD

Trip generation, parking demand, transit demand

►IE study of those living near bus and Metrolink service

►Study area selection – ideas welcomed