Comments on: The Power of Transit-Oriented Development http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joshua Daniel Franklin http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1/#comment-113581 Joshua Daniel Franklin Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:40:16 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=36161#comment-113581 Even in the 70s, the Arlington tunnel was a devil's bargain. The county dropped resistance to I-66 construction in exchange for the tunnel. The Feds wanted the Interstate so bad that they were willing to pay. Even in the 70s, the Arlington tunnel was a devil’s bargain. The county dropped resistance to I-66 construction in exchange for the tunnel. The Feds wanted the Interstate so bad that they were willing to pay.

]]> By: Mark http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1/#comment-108221 Mark Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:19:34 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=36161#comment-108221 I used to live in Ballston in the late '90s, and as densely packed as it was with very tall apartment buildings, I was always surprised by how little traffic there was. I used to live in Ballston in the late ’90s, and as densely packed as it was with very tall apartment buildings, I was always surprised by how little traffic there was.

]]> By: Diana Sun http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1/#comment-108061 Diana Sun Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:04:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=36161#comment-108061 Thanks for the great post. I work for Arlington County and we're very proud of our transit-oriented planning successes. Despite our growth -- Arlington has more commercial space than downtown Atlanta or Seattle and about as much as Boston -- Arlington's traffic is less than it was in 1970, even though our population has doubled in that time. And we have the lowest tax rate in the region! To see how we got here, take a look at our documentary, "Arlington's Smart Growth Journey." It shows how some of the difficult decisions were made -- including why Metro runs through the center of Arlington (vs I-66 median) and how we got the station that Georgetown didn't want. :-) Here's a link to the documentary on our website (check out the 'web extras'): http://bit.ly/35cjhB Thanks for the great post. I work for Arlington County and we’re very proud of our transit-oriented planning successes. Despite our growth — Arlington has more commercial space than downtown Atlanta or Seattle and about as much as Boston — Arlington’s traffic is less than it was in 1970, even though our population has doubled in that time.

And we have the lowest tax rate in the region! To see how we got here, take a look at our documentary, “Arlington’s Smart Growth Journey.” It shows how some of the difficult decisions were made — including why Metro runs through the center of Arlington (vs I-66 median) and how we got the station that Georgetown didn’t want. :-)

Here’s a link to the documentary on our website (check out the ‘web extras’): http://bit.ly/35cjhB

]]> By: Logan Nash http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1/#comment-107741 Logan Nash Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:38:15 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=36161#comment-107741 I hope Tyson's Corner is successful as well. I would be more confident if the tunnel option had gone through, but with good elevated TOD designs and stations built to last out of high-quality materials, it shouldn't be a deal breaker. It's a bit ironic that back in the 70's the feds would fund tunnels we're still reaping the benefits of. But ridiculous FTA requirements prevent them from doing so today. It happened in Tyson's Corner, and it's happening again with the Minneapolis southwest LRT because of a tiny underground section in one of the better alignments. I hope Tyson’s Corner is successful as well. I would be more confident if the tunnel option had gone through, but with good elevated TOD designs and stations built to last out of high-quality materials, it shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

It’s a bit ironic that back in the 70′s the feds would fund tunnels we’re still reaping the benefits of. But ridiculous FTA requirements prevent them from doing so today. It happened in Tyson’s Corner, and it’s happening again with the Minneapolis southwest LRT because of a tiny underground section in one of the better alignments.

]]> By: Daniel Jacobson http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1/#comment-107721 Daniel Jacobson Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:09:32 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=36161#comment-107721 The comparisons between Bart and WMATA are amazing. Two systems of almost identical length built with similar technology within a few years of one another; yet, WMATA has almost three times the ridership that Bart does as a result of better-placed stations and more transit-oriented development. The comparisons between Bart and WMATA are amazing. Two systems of almost identical length built with similar technology within a few years of one another; yet, WMATA has almost three times the ridership that Bart does as a result of better-placed stations and more transit-oriented development.

]]> By: rlb http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1/#comment-107671 rlb Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:54:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=36161#comment-107671 The DC area is teeming with TOD success stories. Bethesda was essentially non existent when the Metro was built, Silver Spring has made a major comeback in the past 15 years, and Gaithersburg has had much TOD success. New Carrolton, now essentially a parking lot, just had a fairly significant zoning change in an effort to promote more of the same. The DC area is teeming with TOD success stories. Bethesda was essentially non existent when the Metro was built, Silver Spring has made a major comeback in the past 15 years, and Gaithersburg has had much TOD success. New Carrolton, now essentially a parking lot, just had a fairly significant zoning change in an effort to promote more of the same.

]]> By: Mark Walker http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/26/the-power-of-transit-oriented-development/comment-page-1/#comment-107651 Mark Walker Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:31:16 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=36161#comment-107651 It's always great to read a TOD success story. I hope Tysons Corner will be another such story. It’s always great to read a TOD success story. I hope Tysons Corner will be another such story.

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