Conceptual design of North Brunswick Station (top left); Gov. Hochul calls for homes to be built near train stations (bottom left); Cities put women at the heart of their transport strategies (top right); Titiwangsa Terminal to be public transport hub (bottom right)
Article of the Week
OHIO—America’s Most Equitably Walkable City is … Cleveland?
Kea Wilson, Streetsblog USA, Feb 7 2023
Researchers at Smart Growth America have found that in most U.S. cities, renters and buyers typically pay a premium to live in walkable neighborhoods. However, in a few post-industrial cities such as Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis, and Philadelphia, it is cheaper to live in walkable areas. Some suggest this affordability is a byproduct of job loss and crime. But Michael Rodriguez, visiting director of research for Smart Growth America and a co-author of the updated Foot Traffic Ahead report, cites pre-war city street grids and efforts by city leaders to maintain walkable communities for disadvantaged populations as key factors.
NJ TOD News
Advocates Invite Gov. Murphy to Ride a NJ Transit Bus and Experience What Riders Face
Larry Higgs, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Feb 8 2023
This year, Transit Equity Day and Week commemorates what would have been Rosa Parks 110th birthday. Chief issues raised during a Transit Equity Week press event focused on preventing service cuts and fare hikes, achievable through dedicated funding and a bus riders bill of rights. Several NJ Transit commuters also asked Gov. Murphy to ride a bus and experience what they do, a call that was also made during the 2022 Transit Equity Day. Assemblyman Dan Benson, chairman of the Assembly Transportation committee, has proposed the 10-point bill of rights, which includes frequent and reliable service, clean and safe buses, well-trained drivers, and an equitable fare structure.
NORTH BRUNSWICK—The First Concept Design of North Brunswick Train Station Is Here
Sarah Salvadore, Patch-South Brunswick, Feb 7 2023
Work has advanced on the design for the new rail station in North Brunswick. The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA), which serves as project manager overseeing design and construction, released the first conceptual design of the project. At this stage, the design is considered 10 percent complete and has been approved by NJ TRANSIT. Support for the project comes from the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund (NJTTF) in the amount of $50 million.
CAMDEN—Riders Help Set Priorities for Walter Rand Transportation Center’s $250 Million Renovation
Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio, Feb 5 2023
Public engagement, an essential part of the effort to advance the renovation of the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, yielded safety as a top concern among riders. Other desired changes included improved appearance and modernization of the facility. The Walter Rand Transportation Center was built in 1989 and serves 26 bus routes, the River Line and PATCO.
Transit and Equity News
Mind the (Gender) Gap: How Cities Are Putting Women at the Heart of Their Transport Strategies
Hannah Keyes, World Economic Forum, Feb 8 2023
Cities worldwide, such as Buenos Aires, Argentina, have begun to recognize the need for gender-informed transportation policies to more equitably meet the needs of women. Moreover, increasing the number of women working in transportation can help advance these efforts. For many women globally, insufficient access to affordable and reliable transportation poses a considerable barrier to paid employment, imposing a “Pink Tax” on their mobility. Buenos Aires’ Gender and Mobility Plan (Plan de Género y Movilidad) advances planning, design, and management with a gender perspective.
WASHINGTON—King County Will Allocate $24.67 Million for Nearly 1,000 Affordable Housing Units, Including in SeaTac
SeaTac Blog, Feb 2 2023
King County Executive Dow Constantine announced $24.67 million in funding to local organizations to create affordable housing opportunities for hundreds of residents. Of the eight projects receiving funds through the King County Housing Finance Program (HFP), six will be located near public transportation. When completed, these six projects will offer a total of nearly 900 new affordable housing units.
Regional and National TOD News
MASSACHUSETTS—Vicinity Energy Announces Partnership with IQHQ to Power Fully Carbon-Neutral Development in Fenway
Press Release, Business Wire, Feb 8 2023
IQHQ, a life sciences real estate development company, will partner with Vicinity Energy to develop two carbon-neutral projects in Boston. Fenway Center, a mixed-use, transit-oriented campus will comprise nearly 1 million sq. ft. of commercial office and lab space built over the Massachusetts Turnpike, and will become the anchor of IQHQ’s FWD district. The other project, at 109 Brookline Avenue, will be one of Boston’s first entirely carbon-neutral buildings. The 305,000 sq.ft. office and laboratory space will also be part of IQHQ’s FWD district, which will connect Kenmore Square with the Longwood Medical Academic Area.
NEW YORK—Hochul Wants to Build Hundreds of Thousands of Homes Near Train Stations
WSHU | Public Radio, Feb 6 2023
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed two key initiatives in support of transit-oriented housing in her proposed budget. One proposal would require municipalities throughout the state to commit to a certain amount of growth in the housing supply every three years. The other would require New York City and suburbs located within 15 miles of the city border to zone for 50 units per acre within a half-mile of subway and train station.
International TOD News
INDIA—Amrit Bharat Stations
Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Feb 10 2023
The Indian Ministry of Railways has announced the selection of 1,275 railway stations for the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (master plan) that calls for station modernization and development of station areas as city centers.
MALAYSIA—Titiwangsa Terminal Set to Be Developed as a Public Transport Hub, Connecting LRT, MRT, Monorail, Buses
Anthony Lim, Paultan.org, Feb 9 2023
According to the Malaysian minister of transport Anthony Loke, plans call for the Titiwangsa Terminal to be developed as a multimodal hub and transit-oriented development (TOD) location. Currently riders can access light rail, monorail, and bus service at the terminal. A new rapid transit service is scheduled to open in 2030. The site is close to the Hospital Kuala Lumpur, the largest government-owned public general hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
CANADA—Transit to Shape Greater Vancouver Office Development in 2023
Claire Wilson, Business in Vancouver, Feb 8 2023
At a recent event, British Columbia real estate industry leaders focused their discussion on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investments, prioritization of affordable housing, and returning workers to the office. A chief theme connecting these goals was access to transit and development in sync with the region’s transit assets. Speakers lauded efforts to densify near transit, and the launch of Translink’s real estate development program, which aims to build commercial and residential projects near transit facilities.