Transit-oriented development: Measuring benefits, analyzing trends, and evaluating policy

Transit-oriented development (TOD) has become a popular planning strategy to reduce car-dependence because it allegedly encourages public transit, walking, and bicycling in mixed-use activity nodes around rail stations. TOD is a smart growth management tool for cities and suburbs. This study presents an analysis of land use and transportation policies in states known to have policies that bear upon smart growth: Maryland, Florida, Oregon, California, and New Jersey. Second, this dissertation tracks trends in commuting, vehicle ownership, and socioeconomic status of 103 TODs located in 12 regions across the United States from 1970 to 2000. Third, a case study of the New Jersey Transit Village Initiative seeks to uncover the extent that market pressures and government policy encourage compact and affordable housing in TODs.; Shares of transit commuting in the TOD precincts increased by 11 percent (from 15.1 percent in 1970 to 16.7 percent in 2000) compared to a decline of 63 percent in surrounding regions (from 19.0 percent to 7.1 percent). Vehicle ownership levels were notably lower within TODs. In 2000, 55.3 percent of households across the regions owned two or more cars compared to only 37.3 percent of TOD households. Trends in socioeconomic status do not support the hypothesis that TODs are becoming gentrified. With respect to housing, data showed much higher levels of renters in TODs compared to surrounding regions. The percentage of renters in TODs has increased by 10 percent (from 57.5 percent in 1970 to 63.2 percent in 2000) while it has decreased by 7 percent across regions (from 41.1 percent to 38.2 percent).; Case studies of state-level policies reveal the importance of government involvement in TOD planning and implementation. This, along with market forces, has been helpful in facilitating the construction of compact housing near rail stations. Except for California, state governments have largely ignored affordable housing in TODs. If demand to live in TODs increases faster than the available supply of housing in such locations, future prices may exclude working class and lower income residents.