Housing type preference/life style & life stage
X
Self-selection in residential choice
X
X
Government policies
X
Number of Stations/Extent of Transit Investment
Supporters of TOD envision a network of dense, mixed-use activity centers linked by high quality transit. Centers can serve a neighborhood or a larger area. The latter, or urban TOD, includes the suburban downtowns of major metro areas and major employment centers. Activities in each of these centers or nodes are origins and destinations for regional travel.
TOD land use and public transportation structure will change travel patterns and modes to the extent it offers improved access to desired activities for a significant portion of the population currently experiencing acceptable auto accessibility. Centers must be within an easy walking distance (1/4 mile) to residents, and one or more other centers must be easily accessible by transit. As the distance between a center and the traveler’s origin increases, transit accessibility will tend to decrease more rapidly than auto accessibility. More transfers and hence more wait time will be a reality of the transit trip.
The proportion of the regional population that lives within close proximity to activity centers and their transit stations will obviously depend on the number of stations. And, of course, the number of centers and stations will depend on the public’s willingness to build and operate the transit system. For any metro region, then, the number of people shifting to tra
