Evaluating Transit-Oriented Development Effectiveness

Abstract

As resources become scare, transportation costs rise, and congestion gets worse, developing transit alternatives will become increasingly important. Transit-oriented development is a sustainable method for building communities that are less dependent on the automobile. Methods for evaluating the potential and effectiveness of a transit-oriented development include determining an area’s vehicle miles traveled, normative characteristics, and a spectrum from transit-adjacent to transit-oriented. The purpose of this paper is to outline a method to evaluate the pedestrian-orientation of transit stations that can augment existing methods of measuring the characteristics of transit-oriented developments. The case study of the transit zone surrounding the Harlem/Lake El Station in Oak Park, Illinois is used to demonstrate the utilization of this method. The study area includes North Marion Street, the Pleasant District and the proposed Chelsea Station developments.