Transit Oriented Development Institute

Washington, DC

The big TOD conference starts in just 2 weeks! There's still time to register and exhibit, but don't wait. You don't want to miss this historic conference!

Visionary industry leaders are coming together in one of the largest ever TOD gatherings at the Transit Oriented Development and Urban Real Estate Conference in Washington, DC October 20-22.

Get up to speed on the best practices of TOD development, design, financing, and place management. Hear from the nation's trend setters and cutting edge developers building the future.

Today we officially announce the amazing TOD tours giving you the unique opportunity to see the projects up close and in action. Hear the development stories from those who delivered these visionary projects.

There's still time to sponsor and exhibit your services during the conference with a tabletop, exhibit booth, or advertisement in the conference program book. Don't miss this timely event! More info

Transit Oriented Development Conference

Only 2 weeks to go!

Transit Oriented Development Conference

Only 2 weeks to go!

TOD Tours - See the Projects Up Close!

See the best TODs in the nation! Hear the development stories from those who delivered these visionary projects. Learn the secrets of successful projects in a wide range of settings from the downtown to the suburbs.

1) DOWNTOWN DC & NEW GREEN LINE TODs

Visit the largest and newest pedestrian street in DC - through the heart of the recently opened

City Center, a 6-block high-end redevelopment in the heart of downtown DC.

Visit the hugely successful Gallery Place in DC's Chinatown district, and a brand new town center incorporating a number of big box super stores, small cafes, and apartments in Columbia Heights. Also see the entirely new urban district rapidly taking shape in Navy Yard, surrounding the Nationals' Stadium in southwest DC.

2) UNIVERSITY & NORTHERN VIRGINIA TODs

Visit a major new TOD in the heart of George Washington University, as well as northern Virginia's largest TODs along the metro blue/yellow line corridor.

See 2 major TODs undergoing transformations including Pentagon City/Pentagon Row and Crystal City. Also see several more huge TODs including Potomac Yards under construction in Alexandria, as well as Carlyle and the Eisenhower Valley area surrounding the new Patent and Trademark Office.

Rosslyn Ballston Corridor and Tysons tour

3) ROSSLYN-BALLSTON CORRIDOR & TYSONS

Visit the largest and most famous TOD in the nation representing large-scale, visionary TOD regional planning encompassing 5 closely spaced metro stations.

Then ride the brand new silver line metro to Tysons Corner, the most famous mega-sprawl in America. Tysons is undergoing a major urban transformation around its 4 new metro stations. This new rail line connects Tysons for the first time directly with central DC and the rest of the region.

4) RED LINE CORRIDOR - SUBURBAN RETROFITS

Ride the red line metro to visit one of the most successful and popular TODs in the region - Bethesda Row. See the exceptional pedestrian street and the many sidewalk cafes creating a vibrant district.

Then travel north on the red line to the all new billion dollar Pike & Rose project that will be five times larger than Bethesda Row - creating an entire new mini city with narrow streets, wide sidewalks, pedestrian spaces, and lively mixed-use throughout. Phase 1 is now open, and phase 2 is under construction. Full build out includes over 1 million square feet of office space, 470,000 square feet of retail, 1,600 residential units, many blocks of sidewalk cafes, and a variety of public open spaces.

TOD tours take place Thursday October 22 from 8:30-3:00 pm. Tours are free to conference attendees. Tour registration is required to attend. Tour registration opens Monday. Don't miss seeing the projects up close in action!

Showcase your firm and its unique services to business and planning leaders at the Transit Oriented Development Conference this month in DC!

Conference Agenda

View Agenda

Learn Placemaking at TOD Conference

Learn the secrets of creating great places from those who deliver them. Learn how to create the next hot district at the TOD Conference!

Pike and Rose, strip center to urbanism!

Corporations are moving downtown, where the people want to be!

"Denver is building 119 miles of light rail and 70 new stations in a decade, creating huge development opportunities to make the region more livable and sustainable." -Reconnecting America

Washington DC is home to the most extensive and best transit oriented development in the nation, and has millions of square feet under construction throughout the district. More | Story

Washington DC leads the nation with TOD!

The TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE is a national planning initiative to promote and accelerate the roll-out of walkable, mixed-use communities around rail stations. Working to increase the supply of new TODs and rail systems, the TOD Institute brings together business and political leaders to advance knowledge sharing and project deal-making.

The Transit Oriented Development Institute is a project of the US High Speed Rail Association, America's leading advocate for the development of a 21st century, national rail system. The Transit Oriented Development Institute promotes increased TOD and high design standards that deliver the best results to the users, the community, the developers, and the rail systems.

The Transit Oriented Development Institute is run by a team of experts and leaders in rail, urban design, and real estate development.

In This Issue

Learn TOD Placemaking

TOD Principles

Quick Links

Transit Oriented Development

TOD Conference

TOD Projects

TOD Books

TOD Reports & Guidelines

TOD Principles

National TOD Database

TOD Principles

The following 10 principles are general guidelines for planning TOD districts and neighborhoods. Densities, details, and design vary project by project depending on many factors including location, context, availability of redevelopment property, surrounding development, etc.

These 10 principles are a starting point for further work preparing specific local development plans working with the community. Examples of these plans are located on our 'Reports' page.

1. Put stations in locations with highest ridership potential and development opportunities
2. Designate 1/2 mile radius around station as higher density, mixed-use, walkable development
3. Create range of densities with highest at station, tapering down to existing neighborhoods
4. Design station site for seamless pedestrian connections to surrounding development
5. Create public plaza directly fronting one or more sides of the station building
6. Create retail and cafe streets leading to station entrances along main pedestrian connections
7. Reduce parking at station, site a block or two away, direct pedestrian flow along retail streets
8. Enhance multi-modal connections, making transfers easy, direct, and comfortable
9. Incorporate bikeshare, a comprehensive bikeway network, and large ride-in bike parking areas
10. Use station as catalyst for major redevelopment of area and great placemaking around station. More

Transportation

Key to laying the foundation for Transit Oriented Development, high quality rail systems encourage the development of compact, mixed-use, walkable communities. High speed rail is the backbone of a rail-based transportation system. When combined with regional rail, light rail, metro systems, and streetcars and trams, a complete and integrated rail network is achieved enabling easy, fast mobility throughout the system.

The rail network becomes the organizing framework for a series of TOD developments into the creation of entire neighborhoods surrounding the rail stations. A series of TOD neighborhoods emerge laid out like pearls along a string. These add up entire networks of walkable communities creating a highly livable, 21st century lifestyle for all.

By making the station and its surrounding development well integrated and pedestrian and bicycle friendly, the 'last mile' connections to local destinations are made easy. Walking and biking to the station becomes a major mode of choice by many.

Ideally, the rail station is located in the middle of downtown or town centers where many destinations are within a short walk or bike ride away. Walkable communities support rail systems by providing high ridership throughout the day, week, and weekend.

Sophisticated new city bike share programs serve the last mile best by making fast door-to-door connections easy with the ability to ride and drop off the bike almost anywhere. More

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