TOD

==** TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ** is the exciting new fast growing trend in creating vibrant, livable communities. Also known as Transit Oriented Design, or TOD, it is the creation of compact, walkable communities centered around high quality train systems. This makes it possible to live a higher quality life without complete dependence on a car for mobility and survival. ** transit oriented development ** ** i s a major solution to the serious and growing problems of //peak oil// and // global warming //** by creating dense, walkable communities connected to a train line that greatly reduce the need for driving and the burning of fossil fuels.==

==**TODs** @http://tsix.ca/projects/?cat=5 http://www. transitorienteddevelopment. org/ ==

** FACTORS DRIVING THE TREND TOWARD TOD **

-Rapidly growing, mind-numbing traffic congestion nation-wide -Growing distaste for suburbia and fry-pit strip development -Growing desire for quality urban lifestyle -Growing desire for more walkable lifestyles away from traffic -Changes in family structures: more singles, empty-nesters, etc -Growing national support for Smart Growth -New focus of Federal policy

"Traffic congestion has increased so much in virtually every metropolitan area that two-hour commutes now are routine. Attempts to alleviate the problem by constructing more highways almost always have led to more sprawl and, eventually, more congestion." -Jim Miara **INTEGRATED COMMUNITY PLANNING: SMART GROWTH / SMART TRANSIT ** Decades of uncoordinated transportation and land use planning have produced a common pattern of growth across North America – one of urban sprawl. Environmentally, economically and socially unsustainable, sprawl requires almost total dependence on the automobile and renders public transit ineffective. Integrated Community Planning (ICP), and its product, Smart Growth, encourages more sustainable and transit-supportive patterns of urban development, through reintegrating transportation and land use planning. Central to Smart Growth are existing and new mixed-use, compact and walkable ‘complete communities’. ICP also promotes ‘Smart Transit’, where transit service is closely matched to land use patterns and the needs of transit users. **ICP is the central premise of this set of transit- supportive guidelines. However,** **mutually supportive transit infrastructure, land use patterns and built form cannot be** **achieved without cooperation between transportation engineers, planners and urban** **designers. These disciplines can no longer operate independently, otherwise sprawl** **and automobile dependence will continue.**

 *** http://www.kelowna.ca/ citypage/docs/pdfs/ Transportation%20Division/ Smart%20Transit%20Plan%20-% 20Supportive%20Guidlines% 20Executive%20Summary.pdf**

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) [[file:Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)_promo_low.pdf]] **
What is Bus Rapid Transit?

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is an innovative, high-capacity, lower-cost public transit solution that can achieve the performance and benefits of more expensive rail modes. This integrated system uses buses or specialized vehicles on roadways or dedicated lanes to quickly and efficiently transport passengers to their destinations, while offering the flexibility to meet a variety of local conditions. BRT system elements can easily be customized to community needs and incorporate state-of-the-art, low-cost technologies that attract more passengers and ultimately help reduce overall traffic congestion.

 @http://www.nbrti.org/

http://www.nbrti.org/docs/pdf/ BRT_promo_low.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ List_of_bus_rapid_transit_ systems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Bus_rapid_transit

http://www.itdp.org/index.php/ microsite/brt_planning_guide/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Bus_rapid_transit

http://www.worldwatch.org/ node/4660