Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Formation along Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Lines: Database Development, Analysis, and Identification of High-Impact Policy, Design, and Service Characteristics

Transit agencies across the U.S. are currently investing in the development of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as an alternative to light rail that promises many of the same benefits of long-term investment in high-quality transit service but can be implemented more quickly and at lower cost. While most scholarship and research surrounding Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and its benefits has focused on TODs around subway and light rail stations, the increased prevalence and success of BRT calls for further exploration of the current state of and future potential for TOD along these lines. Moreover, projects identified as BRT can vary widely in terms of design, service quality, and associated land use policy and regulations, resulting in inconsistent outcomes which may fail to fulfill expectations of local officials and communities. This study aims to investigate how these variables impact project “success,” in terms of both ridership and development impacts, as well as to compare differences between bus- and rail-based initiatives to promote transit-oriented development and communities. The production of a peer-reviewed analysis and study (in addition to a policy brief and report) will be supported by the development of a comprehensive database of BRT-based TOD in the U.S. Previous work has been undertaken by Reid Ewing and others in developing a database of TOD at rail-based transit stations in the U.S. but has not yet incorporated BRT-based developments. The development of a similar database for BRT based TOD, including collection of sociodemographic and land use data for adjacent and surrounding areas, will be crucial in facilitating future analysis of these site’s potentials, successes, and challenges in terms of affecting meaningful change in land use, equity, community health and livability. The proposed project will present initial quantitative analyses of these data in conjunction with case studies and other forms of qualitative analysis to provide scholars and planners with a necessary assessment of the current state of and future potential for TOD along the nation’s growing networks of BRT. As part of the project the team will identify all income-restricted housing units in the identified BRT-TODs and will compile a list of mechanisms that were used to build these units (i.e. inclusionary housing zoning/policies, LIHTC, density bonuses, tax incentives). The project also aims to apply the findings of this analysis to practice. Local officials, planners, and developers in LA and beyond report perceptions of BRT as a less effective driver of land use change and economic development or are unsure how to capture its potential benefits to achieve local policy goals such as expansion of affordable housing, capturing and reinvesting increased property values, and encouraging modal shift. Managing expectations in the context of an unstable real estate market – and implementing regulatory tools and incentives to encourage specific outcomes desired by communities – is identified as a challenge with important implications for smaller, low-growth, high-need cities and regions. Through a national review of practice, projects, and outcomes related to BRT, as well as active collaboration with local government and transit agencies in LA, we will seek to identify specific policy, design, and service variables that are associated with positive impacts to transit ridership, economic development, and other local goals and which can be expected to facilitate successful BRT implementation. Outputs will include 1) the BRT TOD database 2) final summary/technical report 3) a webinar summarizing research findings 4) 2 stakeholder presentations 5) stakeholder guide to BRT TOD success 6) 2 local BRT TOD/TOC implementation plans 7) one or more academic journal articles 8) the first formal collaboration between CETOC and LA’s largest transit agencies (RTA and CATS), expected to provide expanded access to data and decision-makers, providing a living lab for future research while developing data-driven, practical resources for implementation.

• Record URL:
  https://www.uno.edu/cetoc
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Funding: $120,000 (USDOT) + $60,000 (matching funds) = $180,000 (total)

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $180000
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348337

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Center for Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities (CETOC)

  University of New Orleans
  New Orleans, LA  United States 
• Project Managers:

  Kline, Robin

  Danton, Bob

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  City & Metropolitan Planning
  201 South Presidents Circle
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84112

  University of New Orleans

  Department of Planning and Urban Studies
  New Orleans, LA  United States  70148
• Principal Investigators:

  Ewing, Reid

  Tian, Guang

  Tolford, Tara

• Start Date: 20241001
• Expected Completion Date: 20250930
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus rapid transit; Housing; Land use planning; Public transit; Transit oriented development
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01928831
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Center for Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities (CETOC)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348337
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Aug 26 2024 2:45PM