Working together, municipal leaders, transit planners and developers can forge a "win-win-win" partnership in the effort to address the problems of congestion, urban sprawl and pollution facing communities across Illinois.

How? By incorporating the principles of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) into the planning of new developments — both residential and commercial — and by considering the pedestrian in development decisions.

Transit-Oriented Development, a concept experiencing a rebirth in recent years, makes it easy for people to choose alternatives to the automobile for their transportation needs. This provision is key to understanding the relationship between TOD and the consequences of sprawl.

In a nutshell, TOD elements in design originally appeared with the introduction of transit in the 1800s, but fell out of favor as far-reaching development and new highways lured Americans to the automobile by the millions. But today, as we find ourselves more and more gridlocked, the automobile, especially during peak travel periods, is becoming a less attractive alternative, reversing a 50-year trend. This is especially true in areas with efficient transit services.

Dependence on the automobile has been fostered by the absence of accessibility to public transportation — an absence which, in many cases, was inadvertently "planned" in the community's design through zoning. New land use patterns and economic development around transit are integral components in the process for changing that situation. New technology is not needed; rather, we need a new vision of what our communities can look and be like. Supporting growth and development near public transportation can increase the tax base for municipalities without requiring additional infrastructure, and facilitate the availability of more cost-effective transit services as well as increased ridership.

TOD applies land use and transportation relationship principles of urban design as well as parking management and the importance of the pedestrian environment in development decisions. Accessibility by walking is especially important because every transit patron is a pedestrian during some part of their trip.

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has chosen to use a fairly broad definition of TOD that includes three characteristics:

1. TODs generally have higher density land uses than comparable suburban developments.
2. TODs often have mixed land uses — for example, shopping opportunities nearby or within residential developments.
3. TODs encourage transit ridership.

TOD is sometimes referred to as "neo-traditional design," traditional neighborhood design or the new urbanism. These terms are derived from a set of guiding principles based on the relationship between transportation and land use, and include elements such as a centrally located commercial core, a well-connected "grid" street network, and varying densities of housing.

TOD encompasses practical design efforts such as:

— Providing continuous sidewalks and safe street crossing areas where there is likely to be pedestrian activity.
— Placement of parking either to the side or back of a building, so that pedestrians do not have to wade through a sea of cars to reach the building.
— Providing pedestrians with direct paths to transit stops, and not forcing them to backtrack.

Municipalities can play a key role in facilitating TOD, beginning with a willingness to dispense with a "business as usual" approach to public policies and regulations that affect development. Unfortunately, this traditional thinking typically assumes that the auto is the preferred way to reach any given area.

Building more highways to move jobs and residents greater distances is not the answer. The ability of transit to efficiently and effectively provide mobility options for people is closely tied to land use decisions that are made by municipalities. Now is the time to embrace a new vision of urban design that can address the problems that have come with auto-oriented development. To create this vision, municipalities can:

— Conduct surveys to gauge the appeal of an attractive, functional pedestrian environment.

June 1995 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 13

— Develop station area plans and zoning or plan approval requirements that include TOD principles.
— Establish committees or commissions that draw from a cross section of business and civic leaders, community organizations and interested citizens to identify assets, goals and objectives for TOD in the community.

Municipalities can also work to remove obstacles such as existing zoning or other restrictive code requirements that inhibit the implementation of TOD. In addition, they can provide incentives in appropriate areas: acquire land for parking lots, parks, plazas and other amenities at or near transit facilities to foster TOD in those areas; and ensure that projects are coordinated with transportation agencies and adjacent communities.

Clearly, travel has only just begun on the road to implementating TOD principles in the design of new and existing communities across Illinois. Like all journeys, it must proceed one step at a time. The RTA, which provides financial planning and oversight of public transportation in northeastern Illinois, is committed to advancing the concepts of TOD through a variety of efforts including;

— Education
— Providing assistance to municipalities, developers and the RTA's service boards (CTA bus and rapid transit, Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus service) in overcoming barriers to implementing TOD.
— Supporting the work of RTA boards and other regional activities to assure transit compatibility in development.

This month, the RTA presented a TOD seminar for local elected and appointed officials addressing "The What, Why and How of Transit-Oriented Development." Proceedings of the seminar, held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Council of Mayors, will be published and distributed. A day-long workshop, similar to the October program, is planned in December for developers and consultants.

Plans for establishing a TOD Resource Clearinghouse, which will put constituents in touch with agencies, reports or other practitioners to facilitate TOD implementation, are also in the works. Parking management resource documents will be available this summer. Finally, the structuring of a technical assistance program that would be developed with the goal of overcoming TOD barriers is under consideration.

Municipal support of transit-oriented development along the journey to full acceptance and implementation of this promising alternative to "business as usual" is critical. No community or planning agency is an island. We must work as partners to bring about the much-needed changes in development and transportation patterns that will improve the quality of life for all citizens of Illinois. •

Page 14 / Illinois Municipal Review / June 1995