Is This the Right Tool for You?
Evaluation of Results, Analysis of Impacts
The great benefit of designating an 'infill opportunity zone' under California's new Infill Opportunity Zone Law is that it can streamline the development approval process for cities and counties interested in pursing transit-oriented infill development (or TOD for short) in two ways:
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Easing some of the restrictions in many cities' and counties' zoning codes that discourage the construction of TOD (including prohibitions against mixing residential and commercial uses, excessive off-street parking requirements, and limitations on density), and |
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2) |
Replacing traditional inflexible LOS traffic standards (as discussed above, these standards mandate wide streets for fast-moving traffic and eat up scarce land that could be used for improved sidewalks, bike lanes, or other amenities for transit passengers) with more flexible standards tailored local needs and community priorities. |
As of this writing, the actual impacts of the Infill Opportunity Zone law can only be inferred, since no California city or county has yet adopted a resolution designating an infill opportunity zone. Because no infill opportunity zones have been designated in California, the impact of this kind of policy has not been formally studied. However, the type of compact, transit-oriented development that infill opportunity zones promote has in fact been shown to help address a number of problems that local communities perennially struggle with, including increasing traffic congestion, longer commutes, a lack of affordable housing, growing public health problems like asthma and obesity, and dangerous and inhospitable streets. The following is a brief summary of some of the many important benefits that researchers have found to be associated with TOD (each of these resources
is also described in the
'Dig a Little Deeper' section):
TOD increases transportation choices and the convenience of public transit.
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A
2002 California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans)
report notes a study of Portland, Oregon, that found that TOD improved the effectiveness of transit investments by increasing the use of transit by 20%-40% (p. 4). |
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A
study in Seattle, Washington found that in mixed-use
TODs, the total contribution of transit, walking/biking, and internalized trips reduced automobile trips by up to one-third (p. 47). |
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A 1994 National Resource Defense Council
(NRDC)
study of 27 neighborhoods in California found that doubling residential density resulted in reduced automobile ownership and 20% to 30% fewer annual vehicle miles traveled. |
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One
study of the San Francisco Bay Area found that pedestrian activity was 50% higher in dense, "connective" communities than in suburban ones. |
TOD saves valuable resources such as energy, air quality and people's time.
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A 2001 California Energy Commission
report estimated that California could reduce statewide transportation energy consumption by 3% to 10% with the implementation of smart growth policies statewide, representing an energy savings of 60 to 238 trillion BTUs (or 0.6 to 2.3 billion gallons of fuel annually; p.14). |
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TOD has the potential to reduce rates of greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 to 3.7 tons per year for each household, according to the 2002 Caltrans
report noted above (p.
5). |
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Research on TOD best practices published in a 2002 found that the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor in Arlington (VA) reduced traffic congestion by planning its road network to permit numerous travel options and disperse traffic trying to access destinations in the Corridor and that traffic volumes and congestion on some local streets and arterials has actually remained relatively flat (see Ch. 8). |
TOD can increase housing affordability.
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The same 2002 Caltrans
study above also found that by reducing driving costs, TOD could save households $3,000 to $4000 per year, and suggested that the household could use this savings to help meet increasing housing costs. |
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A 2003
report by the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP) found that low-income individuals who were able to take public transportation, bicycle, or walk to work spent far less on transportation then their counterparts who commuted to work by private vehicle, and that this savings can allow low-income individuals improve their housing situation and can even bring homeownership within reach of many working families. |
TOD can play a significant role in economic development.
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has
reported that dollar for dollar, investments in public transit generate more than double the jobs of highway investments. |
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A 2001 Great American Station Foundation
study examined 43 Midwestern and East Coast rail stations redevelopment projects and found that station improvements that increase multimodal accessibility increased the number of transit passengers using the service and increased jobs, household income, property values, and taxes in the community (p. 22). |
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An article in the
Dallas Morning News reports that since the opening of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) in 1996 to 2000, more than $800 million in new commercial and residential investment within walking distance of the DART line has either been constructed or is in process ("DART Looking to Move Faster," by T. Hartzel, 8/23/00). |
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A 1984 study by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Transit Joint Development Program found investment in TOD
to be highly cost-effective, with a
benefit-cost ratio of 8 to 1 based on the
value capture of agency expenditures
(click here for an explanation of
value capture analysis). |
Together, these studies tell an important story: mixed-use walkable communities developed around transit stops served by frequent and reliable transit are successful across the U.S. This is because TOD provides flexible principles for cities to manage growth and revitalize existing communities by using their existing infrastructures and resources as efficiently as possible. For California residents, taking advantage of the state's new Infill Opportunity Zone Law can help you achieve these benefits of TOD in your city or county. For residents of other states, working for the passage of legislation similar to California's Infill Opportunity Law can strengthen existing smart growth efforts where you live. Whatever your situation, the next section will help show you how to use infill opportunity zones to encourage TOD in your community.
  
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