Urban policies have emphasized the importance of land use mixing as an intervention beholding of lasting planning and public health benefits. Transportation planners have identified potential in efficiency gains achieved by increasing land use mix and the subsequent shortening of trip lengths; whereas, public health research has accredited increased land use mixing as an effective policy for facilitating greater physical activity. However, despite the myriad benefits and extent of topical… Read More

Transit-oriented development, or TOD, could be the “poster child” for sustainable urban development. It concentrates land uses, including commercial and multi-family housing, near transit stations so as to reduce car dependency and increase ridership. The benefits are manifold; increased community health, positive economic impacts, less harm to the environment and potentially greater social equity. But what about affordability? In exchange for all these benefits, do TOD residents spend more… Read More