Halfway There

Transit-oriented development is an old idea made new again. Connecticut cities and towns grew up around our historic transportation system, with river travel replaced by rail, streetcars, and finally by private vehicles. Prior to the 1950s, most Connecticut cities and towns developed around rail stations or around trolley routes. In the last 20 years, ridership on the Metro-North New Haven Line has grown by 45% and is now the busiest rail route in the country. Communities are taking another look at how their transit assets can drive the next wave of investment and attract a new generation of residents and businesses.

Rail-served neighborhoods throughout Connecticut are benefitting from increased desire for transit connections, with strong market demand for TOD in Stamford, New Haven, and South Norwalk supporting the development of new mixed-use communities and the revitalization of existing neighborhoods. TOD isn’t just about new development: it also encompasses strategies to connect existing homes to local businesses and transit routes, generating additional transit ridership and consumer demand for neighborhood centers. Quality transit is only one ingredient in the recipe for TOD. Too often, communities don’t realize that their goals for walkable, transit-oriented neighborhood development are being thwarted by out-of-date development guidelines, especially those that govern parking.

The neighborhoods that see the most investment will be those that have a community vision for station-area development and have also put in place supportive regulations that provide clear guidance to developers.