Hm. From the Bucks County Courier Times:
It’s being touted as the hot new trend in development — as a way to build high-density housing while reducing traffic, increasing mass transit use and enhancing overall quality of life.
It’s called transit-oriented development — TOD to those in development circles. It’s meant to “fully capitalize on [a transit facility’s] proximity and promote ridership, and economic and community development,” according to a 2007 report by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. …
Warminster is considering the formation of a full-fledged TOD district. On July 10, the supervisors authorized advertising an ordinance that would pave the way for a proposal by J.G. Petrucci Co. of Asbury, N.J., to convert a 16-acre industrial site into a 200-home mixed-use development within walking distance of the nearby SEPTA regional rail station.
The Warminster plan is following the path of similar proposals in Ambler, Hatboro and Upper Gwynedd.
Story goes on to say that there’s little hard data to show people actually would drive less/increase their use of public transit. You can lead a commuter to public transportation, but you can’t make him ride. However, as a public policy goal in the era of high fuel prices/environmental concerns, this makes a whole lot of sense.
Unlike what was proposed here, this would create development around existing train stations. Think transforming the Stockyards into residential; lots of people might like that idea, though 200 homes on 16 acres, as proposed in Warminster, would of course be fought tooth and nail.
Notes Atrios:
Simply having access to a train station isn’t enough to make car-free existence attractive. Development must also include certain neighborhood amenities and retail which are within walking distance. But if people don’t need a car to commute, you’ve taken away a big part of the reason they need a car. Add a walkable supermarket and you’ve taken away another big part.
Except we couldn’t do that here, either - no way would the surrounding community permit a viable supermarket. Turkey Hill, sure; but something big enough to permit people to actually walk to it should they so choose and do their weekly shopping? Never.
Much of the country is never really going to be easy to retrofit this way. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of car-dependent suburbs left after all the oil is gone! But there are plenty of places that can be greatly improved with minor land use changes.
But again: As a matter of public policy, is it desirable to build new places like this too?
