Quote of the Day for Dec. 22
December 22, 2009
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Oregonian
"It is estimated that a Newburg-style area extended over a multi-kilometre area could reduce the automobile's share of all daily trips by residents to 55% or less." ...
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Carrollton Wins Urban Design Dream Study Award
December 22, 2009
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Carrollton, Texas, has received the 2009 Greater Dallas Planning Council Urban Design Dream Study Award for its Downtown Carrollton Transit Center Plan.
Quote of the Day for Dec. 21
December 21, 2009
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Palm Beach Post
"It's real-estate development," she said. "It has to happen on its own. It [the Blue Line] will create excitement and energy, but you still have to find the financing. The numbers have to work. You have to sell it."...
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Are TODs Over-Parked?
December 21, 2009
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[This is another in our series of expert blogs on TOD, highlighting work and research that experts are doing in the field. Today's post is by Robert Cervero, from the University of California Transportation Center and UC Berkeley.]
Many apartment projects near urban rail stations, critics charge, are “over-parked” – more parking is provided than needed. This can drive up the cost of housing, consume valuable land near transit, and impose environmental costs such as water pollution from enlarged impervious surfaces.
Part of the blame for oversupply of parking in TODs (transit-oriented developments) could be the reliance on parking generation figures from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). ITE standards assume that car ownership levels and parking demands are no different in traditional suburban settings than in neighborhoods that are served by rail transit. Yet some studies suggest that those drawn to living near urban rail stops do so for…
Part of the blame for oversupply of parking in TODs (transit-oriented developments) could be the reliance on parking generation figures from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). ITE standards assume that car ownership levels and parking demands are no different in traditional suburban settings than in neighborhoods that are served by rail transit. Yet some studies suggest that those drawn to living near urban rail stops do so for…
Quote of the Day for Dec. 18
December 18, 2009
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Seattle Times
"I understand the concern people would have if every movement is tracked," says Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl. "That's not the purpose of ORCA."....
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Mitigating Light Rail Construction Impact
December 18, 2009
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Construction of a new light rail line can be destructive of the local economy, hurting businesses as work on the line disrupts power, blocks access to stores and eliminates parking. Several cities have developed successful mitigation programs over the years to help these businesses survive the hardship during construction and then thrive once the line opens.
TOD's Impact On Single-Family Neighbors
December 17, 2009
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Transit-oriented development is valuable for transit, increasing the number of potential riders near stations. But what impact does situating a mixed-use, higher density project in a suburban setting have on nearby single-family neighborhoods?
The Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University sought to answer that question in its study, "Effect of Suburban Transit Oriented Developments on Residential Property Values."
"The development of successful transit-oriented developments often encounters several barriers," the study notes. "These barriers include: a lack of inter-jurisdictional cooperation, auto-oriented design that favors park and ride lot over ridership-generating uses, and community opposition. The community opposition may be more vocal in suburban areas where residents of predominately single-family neighborhoods may feel that…
Quote of the Day for Dec. 16
December 16, 2009
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The New Republic
Turin may no longer have had cheap industrial labor, but it still possessed people with a deep understanding of production and design. They simply needed new outlets and markets for their core competencies....
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Webinar: Conservatives And Public Transit
December 16, 2009
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Reconnecting America CEO John Robert Smith participated in a live webinar Dec. 14 discussing "Conservatives and Public Transit." Joining Smith in the webinar was William Lind, co-author of "Moving Minds: Conservatives and Public Transportation." The webinar was hosted by Transportation for America.
Also on the panel were Bill Millar, president of the American Public Transortation Assocation and Sam Staley, a critic of mass transit who serves as the Reason Foundation's director of urban and land use policy.
The book by pro-public transit conservatives Lind and the late Paul Weyrich was the starting point for the discussion. The book can be purchased here.
To view the full webinar, click on the image.
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