Urban interventions: formulating a strategy for walkable and transit-oriented development

While there is a strong literature tying travel behavior trends to build environment and land-use patterns, there is ample need to examine how to harness these relationships to encourage behaviors that help communities meet their goals. In this chapter, urban interventions including strategies focused on developing walkable and livable transit-oriented developments (TOD) and neighborhoods are explored. Then the common stakeholder goals and desired outcomes centered on transit-oriented development planning strategies are examined. Five case studies are explored pertaining to transit-oriented planning and implementation: New Jersey Transit Village Initiative; Minneapolis-St Paul Metropolitan Council TOD action plan; Rosslyn–Ballston TOD Corridor Plan; Tri-Rail Coastal Link Study, and London’s Crossrail 2. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the elements of strong transit-oriented development plans, including built environment considerations and community engagement.