Linking Transit Agencies and Land Use Decision-Making: Guidebook for Transit Agencies.

摘要

Land-use decisions play a key role in shaping the long-term success of virtually every transit system in the United States. People ride transit because it provides them with a convenient or cost-effective way to get where they want to go. Land-use decisions that determine where people want to go can make it easy or difficult for transit to serve those destinations. The relationship of transit and land use can be thought of as a balancing act. When transit and land use are in balance the result is more riders at a lower cost. When they are out of balance, transit attracts fewer riders at a higher cost. Therefore, it is in the interest of a transit agency to help shape the outcome of land use decision-making to achieve the desired balance. Organizations other than transit agencies hold the responsibility and authority for integrating land use and transit. For example, metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) and metropolitan councils shape growth and transit policies at a regional scale and in multi-jurisdictional corridors. Zoning authority gives local governments the responsibility for land use and public infrastructure (for example, sidewalks, bikeways, streets and other public connections) decisions at a municipal, corridor, area, or site level. Private developers are typically more concerned with site-specific conditions which can influence access to and demand for transit. However, transit agencies can influence the framework for those stakeholders to routinely make transit-supportive land use decisions.