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Building Livable Communities with
Transit Cont…
Link Adjacent Development Parcels By New
Roadways
This follows from the preceding discussion
regarding the need for an interconnected street grid, but is especially
relevant in suburban areas where each subdivision has its own random,
unconnected street pattern.
Pedestrian and Transit Facilities
The third category of issues addressed
by transit guidelines relate to specific facilities for pedestrians
and transit. While improving the layout of buildings and streets
is critical to creating an environment friendly to transit and pedestrians,
there are certain facilities that can be provided to make it easier
for transit vehicles and users. Most of the transit guidelines that
have been developed address the following issues.
Road Geometrics Should Accommodate Transit
It wont do a community much good if
it observes all the recommendations listed above but fails to build
streets with the necessary turning radii, width and pavement depths
necessary to provide bus service. This does not mean that all roads
must be widened. If a proper hierarchy of local and collector streets
is observed, and on-street parking near corners is properly regulated,
it should be possible to provide a safe network for local bus circulation.
The San Diego and Portland guidelines, among others, include detailed
technical instructions for how to deal with these issues.
Provide Transit Shelters and Other Facilities
Providing comfortable waiting and seating
areas and protection from inclement weather are important gestures
that help make transit users feel comfortable. Guidelines for how
to design transit stops have been developed by many agencies. However,
on many occasions the value of transit and transit stops to a development
is ignored. The San Diego guidelines emphasize this point: Transit
facilities are frequently located at the edge of activity centers
to avoid adverse impacts. In the process, transit is less visible
and less convenient. Any chance of capitalizing on this public investment
is lost. With a little creativity, transit stops can serve as the
focal point of a community. They can be combined with convenience
stores, daycare centers, restaurants and other neighborhood amenities.
Combining such uses reinforces the focal point, making it a real
part of the community. [MTDB Manual, p.14]
Provide Generous Landscaping, Paved Walkways,
and Safe Street Crossings
Along with comfortable transit stops,
it is important to provide other amenities that increase the comfort
and safety of pedestrians. These amenities have many practical applications
but they also play an important symbolic role in elevating the place
of the pedestrian and transit user in the built environment.
Bicycle-Friendly Facilities Should Be Available
Bicycles offer an excellent alternative
mode of transportation in many communities. However, to make cycling
a viable alternative for more people, special efforts must be made
to provide a safe and direct network of streets and paths that are
accessible to cyclists. It is also important that secure storage
facilities be provided at transit stations, in retail areas and
especially at work sites. In addition to storage, businesses should
be encouraged to provide lockers and showers so that employees will
feel comfortable riding their bikes to and from work.
Make Buildings, Walkways, and Transit Facilities
Accessible
Access for people with disabilities
is another critical ingredient in creating livable, transit-oriented
development. Housing in mixed-use communities that are close to
transit can play a major role in allowing people with disabilities
to lead productive and independent lives. It is also important to
remember that, at some time in our lives, most of us will have to
deal with a disability either as a result of an accident, illness
or old age. This will become an even greater factor as the large
baby boomer generation reaches old age.
Give a High Priority to Transit Passenger
Safety and Security
Creating safe, secure transit facilities
is critical. While many of the measures discussed above will help
create the kind of activity that helps to deter crime, it is also
important to address safety issues in designing the transit facility
and surrounding areas. New Jersey Transit points out that: Actual
and perceived safety are equally important. Without the perception
of a safe environment, riders will be deterred from using the transit
system, and a process of decay and decline can rapidly evolve.
Conclusion
This article only scratches the surface of many of the issues involved
in creating more livable communities through transit. For more detailed
information we refer you to Building Livable Communities: A Policymakers
Guide to Transit Oriented Development published by the Local Government
Commission in 1997.
Paul Zykofsky is Director of the Center for Livable Communities,
an initiative of the Local Government Commission, a nonprofit membership
organization of local elected officials based in Sacramento. He
is the co-author of Building Livable Communities: A Policymakers
Guide to Transit Oriented Development from which this article is
adapted.
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