Growing with transit : creating transit supportive development in an automobile-focused world

Abstract

This thesis develops a practical framework for the use of land use techniques in station areas to bolster transit ridership. Linking land use with transportation is increasingly important as more cities face the difficult issue of maintaining effective movement in a car-focused world. Many cities are pursuing expensive projects including rapid transit in their search for new, more efficient alternatives. If these interventions are to be successful, the influences of land use must be considered. There remains a deficiency in the literature, however, of instructive formulas to guide cities interested in using land use as a tool for improving the effectiveness of transportation interventions. A small sampling of the current research on land use and transit identifies mutable elements of land use with the power to increase transit effectiveness. These are 1) density 2) diversity and 3) design for multi-modal use. The literature offers little guidance for how to use these land use factors as tools for influencing transportation interventions. An initial framework was developed from a review of the most influential design strategy in use today, the Transit Oriented Development concept developed by Peter Calthorpe. This initial framework was then used in the examination of two cases. Two projects in the Portland, OR area were examined, Gresham Central Apartments and the Beaverton Round project -one completed and widely deemed successful, the other stalled in construction and the recipient of criticism. A set of guidelines was developed from the lessons learned through these cases studies that was then focused upon the Martinez Nadal station area in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The resulting framework revealed the most important considerations for creating transit supportive development: The density of every project in the area should be high enough to promote the efficient use of developable land available at the station and along the alignment. Each project should increase the diversity of uses in the station area and along the entire alignment. Lastly, there should be a functional link between development and transit. Pedestrian connections should be provided between all development and the station that is: 1) direct 2) interesting and 3) safe.