Planning for Transit Oriented Development in the Twin Cities: A Baseline Study for Corridors of Opportunity.

This report is the result of a study done for the Corridors of Opportunity project designed to measure the extent to which cities have planned for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) around transit stations. The study evaluated the planning activities of 20 cities along 6 transitways in the Corridors project: Hiawatha Light Rail, Northstar Commuter Rail, Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit, Central Corridor Light Rail, Southwest Light Rail, and Bottineau Boulevard Light Rail. The study measured three specific planning activities: comprehensive planning, station area planning (SAP), and zoning. The study reached several conclusions. First, each city faces unique challenges to transit planning, created by its geography, demographics, and timing of the transit line which require proactive planning to minimize; on the other hand, these characteristics provide opportunities for cities to create unique areas of their own and utilize TOD principles in a way that is appropriate for their city. Second, planning for (and awareness of) TOD has dramatically increased since Hiawatha LRT opened in 2004. Central Corridor LRT, in addition to its advantages of a transit corridor, has shown the value of proactive planning and is primed to fully realize the benefits of TOD. Southwest LRT is already improving upon the lessons learned and strategies developed by Central Corridor LRT, and Bottineau Boulevard LRT stands to benefit even further. CURA Associate Director Will Craig served as an advisor to the project.