Central Maryland Looks To TOD For Future

The Central Maryland Transportation Alliance has released "Central Maryland TOD Strategy: A Regional Action Plan For Transit-Centered Communities.

"The continuing and expanding prosperity of Central Maryland will rely on careful and prudent transit investments that continue to link jobs and housing, and people with their destinations, while creating the types of neighborhoods in which people will want to live," notes the report's executive summary.

Technical assistance for this study was provided by the Center for Transit-Oriented Development.

"TOD should not be thought of as a one-size fits all development solution, but rather a paradigm shift to focus on creating high-quality, strong communities connected by a multi-modal transportation network," the report states. "This report identifies key challenges and opportunities to move toward the transit-oriented development end of the spectrum, as well as identifying key locations, strategies, and tools for accomplishing this shift."

The report notes that the goals of TOD are broader than simply a better and more efficient transportation system. At the regional level, TOD can facilitate and generate momentum for market-driven TOD investment that can be self-sustaining over time. At the local level, TOD can direct the velocity and trajectory of neighborhood change when necessary to provide neighborhood stability.

This study will help identify priority locations for meeting both goals.

The report provides a methodology for planning and investment in any location, given real estate and development market and demographic data.

"Reinvigorating TOD in Central Maryland will require a shift in mind set and collaborative planning efforts at multiple geographic scales and among multiple partners," the report notes. "These collaborative efforts are already emerging, and need to be strengthened in order to build on the recent progress."

This report was developed through a year-long process of identifying challenges and opportunities for transit-oriented development in Central Maryland.