The purpose of the initiative is to identify land-use approaches that support transit use and to demonstrate that the obstacles to transit supportive development (TSD) can be overcome. This undertaking consists of both policy research and the initiation and completion of three pilot projects that demonstrate the feasibility of linking transit services and land-use planning, and which can serve as prototypes for other communities.

These were some of the key questions that created the direction of this effort: How can local land-use development decisions in New York State be better integrated with regional transit net- works? What kinds of public policies and transportation investments can encourage transit supportive land-use patterns? What role can Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) play in working toward such outcomes? What are the transferable lessons?