Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Streetsblog

How Would You Define Transit-Oriented Development?

It's a welcome sign of progress that developers are beginning to shift towards building more walkable, mixed-use projects.

Of course, now that more builders recognize the value of transit-oriented development, the term is vulnerable to exploitation. Tools like Walk Score and Abogo can help consumers find walkable places to live with good transit options, but how can we be sure that a building is as transit-oriented as a developer may claim? Maybe it's time for a rating system, like "certified organic," that could apply to a single development.

false

The bloggers at Livable Bay and Straight Outta Suburbia have spent some time thinking about this issue, and they're putting together a rating system to test claims of transit orientation. Their system would rate projects based on proximity to transit, compactness, mix of uses and walkability/bikeability:

First, a property must be within 1/3 mile of transit. This is obvious--if there's no transit--not even a bus line--then it's sprawl. Property that creates congestion doesn't deserve to be measured by this metric.

Similarly, if the density of the development is not above 1.25 FAR, it is not dense enough to be smart growth. (FAR is a rough formula for density. It stands for "Floor Area Ratio," and it equals the surface area on all floors divided by the size of the property.) Imagine, for example, if a developer put single family homes next to transit, or even an apartment building with a large surface parking lot. It might be near transit, but that doesn't mean it's transit oriented, and it certainly isn't smart growth. Single family homes and surface parking lots are congestion oriented, not transit oriented, and such properties are inappropriate for this test.

The closer you are to transit, and the better the transit, the more points the development earns. If the property is across the street from transit, it should be rewarded for that. In addition, the more frequent the transit service, the more points. Properties that include commercial space, office space, or both are rewarded. Many people overlook the importance of office space in smart growth. It ensures people can live near their work.

What do you think? Could a system like this hold developers accountable for their marketing? Is this ground already covered by the existing standards in LEED ND (a green building rating system for neighborhood-scale development)? Livable Bay is asking for feedback on the rating system. What's your advice?

Elsewhere on the Network today: Portland Transit uses Transit Score to evaluate the availability of public transportation across various city demographics and geographies. Greater Greater Washington asks why Virginia DOT failed to install a crosswalk and stoplight as planned at an intersection where a pedestrian was killed this weekend. And The MinusCar Project wonders whether mandatory helmet laws are incompatible with public bike-sharing systems.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Beach Reading: Zohran Mamdani’s Answers to Streetsblog’s Mayoral Candidate Survey

Spend the holiday weekend with Zohran Mamdani's answers to Streetsblog's mayoral candidate questionnaire.

July 4, 2025

Friday Video: Why NYC Needs ‘Low-Traffic Neighborhoods’

London's Church Street, like so many of our business corridors, was choking on cars — until the advent of the low-traffic neighborhood.

July 4, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: E-Bikes in Parks … Permanently Edition

The Parks Department will permanently allow e-bikes in city parks following a two-year pilot. Plus more news.

July 4, 2025

Anti-Miracle On 34th Street: Adams Administration Pauses Work On 34th Street Busway

The highly-anticipated 34th Street busway may not happen under Mayor Adams after all, sources said.

July 3, 2025

Manhattan DA Says Alleged Central Park Hit-and-Run Cyclist Didn’t Flee, Drops Charges

Prosecutors said the 30-year-old cyclist "remained on the scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics to arrive to treat the injured person."

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025
See all posts