TOD’s: Making Indy Connect Possible

Posted on | May 1, 2010 | 1 Comment

So, what the Indy Connect Public Light Rail transit will need to survive and thrive  here in Indy will be TOD’s: Transit Oriented Development.  So what makes TOD’s so good?  Why are they so vital to success?  I thought you’d never ask.

Walkablility

TOD’s create a car-free area where the pedestrians are the main priority.  There are places to eat, sit, perform activities, watch activities, and to watch people watching activities.  Walkability is essential for the people in Indianapolis that don’t have cars, don’t want cars, and don’t need cars.  TOD’s provide mobility choices by creating activity nodes for every age, income, and race that are serviced by trolleys, streetcars, light rail, PRT’s, buses, trams, and bikes- ALL IN ONE SPOT!.   Isn’t it more fun to enjoy yourself in a neighborhood area without having to worry about being hit by a car?

Destination Station

Creating an identity and activity program for a specific transit station encourages people to live there, take ownership of the area, and creates a friendly neighborhood for everyone.  These TOD neighborhoods can be safer than traditional neighborhoods.  Having a density of people and activity in a transit station neighborhood provides ‘eyes on the street’ that prevents crime and creates a secure livable area.  Isn’t it more fun to visit and live in places like Mass Ave, Fountain Square, The Wholesale District, Indiana Avenue, The Canal, and Broad Ripple?

Activity

Having a program of activity ensures an area will function correctly.  A mix of activities like commercial retail, professional offices, residential units, restaurants and bars  creates  a successful neighborhood for people to live.  TOD’s increase transit ridership by up to 40% providing more activity for a safer and economically vital transit station.  These dense activity nodes allows more residential open space and preserves farmland, saving both of them from development.  Isn’t it more fun to be in an active neighborhood than a stagnant one?

Economics

When all is said and done, if Indy Connect is going to make their goals and objectives come true, there will need to be an economic plan of attack.  TOD’s increase tax revenues in the immediate area of the transit station and the surrounding neighborhoods.  TOD’s can reduce the costs of water, sewage, and road infrastructure by 25%  in surrounding neighborhoods.  These neighborhoods could then become demographically mixed throughout all spectrums of age, income, and race: affordable housing becomes easier because housing and land costs are reduced through compact infill and greenfield growth patterns.  Households save money because of TOD’s: by reducing car trips outside of their neighborhood a household can save $3,000 a year, and may not even need a second automobile.  Who doesn’t want to save money?

Environmental

TOD’s are considered more sustainable than traditional development strategies.  TOD’s are proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions  by up to 4 tons per year for each household.  The surrounding neighborhoods may be more inclined to use efficient technologies like bioswales for stormwater management, solar panels for electricity, inline water heaters, rain barrels, and recycled insulation for their house.  Conserving the open space and farmland we already have while providing community open space in close proximity to TOD’s improves the quality the natural systems in the area and improves the quality of life at the same time.  Does that sound like a place you want to live?

I hope this was helpful in further understanding Transit Oriented Development, how they work, why they are successful, and how they can help Indianapolis.  As with all new concepts, there are certain strategies that must be embraced for the concept to work.  The two main strategies associated with TOD’s are the type of transit involved and the walkability of the area.  Strategies and concept aside, places like 16th Street Mall in Denver and downtown Englewood outside Santa Fe, California are fun places to live and visit!

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