Browsing by Subject "Transit Oriented Development (TOD)"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Moving Communities Forward: Synthesis
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2007-09) Neckar, Lance
    This project summarizes and synthesizes quantitative and qualitative measures and best practices relative to the integration of design in the planning and implementation of beneficial transportation projects. This project examines the composite benefits discovered in four research projects under the rubric of "The Role of Well-Design Transportation Projects Enhancing Communities." These four research studies are analytical \ case studies of transportation projects, predominantly of two types: transit-oriented development (TOD), and context sensitive design and solutions (CSD/CSS). The studies focus on community enhancements through good design in each of four specific areas: economic development; public health, safety, and the environment; visual improvement; and citizen participation. This project matches key synergies of community design and planning processes to the outcomes in these cases. Highlighting both critical similarities and differences across the cases, the findings set new standards of integrative design excellence as they also suggest design principles that both broaden and focus design practices in community transportation projects. A final report summary of the study will be prepared and published.
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    Moving Design: Spaces of Transportation - Executive Summary
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2007-09) Forsyth, Ann; Jacobson, Justin; Thering, Katie
    Focusing on the design issues involved in two key types of transportation environments - context sensitive solutions and transit-oriented development - the report investigates design benefits measured in aesthetic and humanistic terms. These include issues of community identity, appearance, scenic quality, and cultural value. These characteristics are difficult to measure, more difficult to quantify, and even more difficult to cast in terms of monetary costs and benefits. Despite the difficulty of measuring it, design is an important element for the success of transportation projects and should not be overlooked. It is critical that we be able to measure the qualities of design so we can discuss it in a systematic and reliable way. In order to capture important details and reflect a range of potential definitions of good design, this report examined case studies in three regions - in Northern Virginia, the Saint Louis Metropolitan area and Missouri, and Northern California. In each it tested six approaches to measuring design quality: using a short score sheet rating tool and a longer inventory, eliciting the opinions of design experts and some of the users and creators of the spaces, using standardized drawing and mapping techniques to compare designs, and by assessing photographs. This report is an executive summary of a longer report, which will be posted here soon. In the meantime, for a copy of the full report, please contact Ann Forsyth at 607-254-5438 or af16@cornell.edu.
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    Transportation as Catalyst for Community Economic Development
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2007-12) Adams, John S.; Vandrasek, Barbara J.
    This study presents frameworks and methods for assessing economic development impacts of well-designed transportation projects. A literature review and on-site inspections of U.S. case studies provided lessons learned, best practices, and metrics for assessing outcomes. Project site matters, whether greenfield locations or redevelopments, and whether projects are in fast-growing metro areas, stable ones, or areas losing population and resources. Prevailing land prices and regulatory environments set limits on what can be accomplished. Economic development differs from real estate development. Economic development brings resources into fuller production of valued goods and services such that overall benefits exceed overall project costs over time. It is often accompanied by real estate development; sometimes real estate development provides a catalyst for economic development. Projects can be implemented at locations from downtown to the outer suburbs; distance from the core can affect conditions for project success. A project can be implemented in elite, upper-middle class, middle class, working class, or poor areas, with choice of sector influencing prospects for success. A well-designed project improves the community's balance sheet--enhancing assets, diminishing liabilities, and increasing net benefits to the community over time. It is important to distinguish absolute change from change relative to metropolitan-wide measures.