Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology

(BUET)
Department of Civil Engineering

Assignment No: 03
Assignment Name: Planning Principles and Configuration of Transit
Oriented Development

Submitted By: Md. Shofiul Islam

Student Id: 0421042405
M.Sc. Engg, Semester: April 2022

Submitted To:
Dr. Md. Shamsul Hoque
Professor
Department of Civil Engineering, BUET
 PLANNING PRINCIPLES AND CONFIGURATION OF TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT

Introduction:
A productive public transport framework interfaces individuals, communities and societies, builds modern
markets and improves the overall quality of life1. Public transport is one of the most efficient mode of
sustainable transport system. But urban traffic dynamics is very complex and least understood. Ribbon
development decreases the capacity of roads. It is not public transport friendly and also very difficult to
control travel demand due to ribbon development.
Mixed-use neighborhoods became a lifestyle concept in the metro due to the rise of residential communities
near or within business and commercial areas. To create a healthy and livable environment where dwellers
can live comfortably, move efficiently and save time and effort, sustainable transport system is must. That
is when the city of future living comes in the transit-oriented development. Transit oriented development
or TOD is an urban planning concept that’s being practiced in numerous western cities. Transit oriented
development is the exciting fast-growing trend in making dynamic, bearable, maintainable communities.
This makes it possible to live a lower-stress life without total reliance on a car for mobility and survival. It
is at the exceptionally heart and soul of sustainability, and brings together compact and walkable
communities

Definition of Transit Oriented Development:

Transit oriented development, or TOD, incorporates a mix of commercial, residential, office and
amusement centered around or located close to a transit station. Dense, walkable, mixed-use growth near
transit attracts individuals and includes to dynamic, associated communities. The city ought to be
polycentric.

Components of Transit Oriented Development:

Planning Principles of Transit Oriented Development:

Main principles of transit oriented development are people’s mobility and eco-centric development where
principle of road or traditional supply based driven development is vehicle’s mobility. Principles of transit
oriented development are discussed below:

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1. Instead of Road/Track-centric linear high rise ribbon development, Poly/station centric radial
high-rise compact and mixed development: There are some high-rise buildings beside the station and
these buildings and transit capacities are very densified. The city has many centers instead of only one.
Stations are situated in an equidistance which creates much ridership. Every passenger travels same distance
towards stations. This will create faster travel.

2. Neighborhood Centers and Vibrant Ground Floor: A built environment with satisfactory public space
promotes social interaction between inhabitants. Sustainable urban communities must be adequately dense
and contain a diversity of uses that are complementary to residential life. Public spaces ought to be
connected to the urban transport network and serve as dynamic, human centered places of activity2.

3. Converging Transit Hub: People starts travel from a hub in every cluster which is in an equidistance
for all. Public transports can take passengers from a hub. This system can reduce travel time and increase
reliability

4. Guide City Expansion Vertically: High rise buildings will expand vertically and also under the ground.
There will be no ribbon development.

5. Make MRT Sustainable and Subsidy free and promote ICT enable trip: MRT system is very capital
intensive and resource hungry. There is a huge operational cost also. But it can give a huge productivity.
So, it is a prime requirement to make it a sustainable system. For, this reason it should be subsidy free. In
station centric development it can contain a lot of passengers, so there will be no need to take subsidy.
Along with TOD there should be modern facility. ICT based virtual transport should be implemented. If
ICT enable trip can be addressed, it will reduce physical travel

6. Need Strict Land Use Control and Integration with Transport: To make a sustainable system for
roads it is required to control land use strictly so that we can give solution.

7.Prioritize Non-motorized Transport Networks: Cycling is a smooth, emission-free, sound and

affordable transport alternative which is exceedingly productive in nature. The key components of
advancing cycling are the provision of secure road conditions and secure cycle parking. Road plan assures
security for cyclists by reducing carriageway speeds. A complete network of shading components, smooth
surfaces and stable cycle parking are vital in nature2.

8.Develop Neighborhoods that Promote Walking: High quality, passable pedestrian footpaths provide
essential mobility for all. Furniture, landscaping components, and building edges transforms walkways into
most vibrant public spaces. It requires physical exertion and it plays a viable part in improving the
environmental conditions3.

Configuration of Transit Oriented Development:

Land Use: Land use and transport should be considered integratedly. Road design will be done based on
people’s mobility and according to the land use. There should be a densification of road capacity. Land use
beside the stations is for high rise buildings. A varied mix of residential and commercial land uses reduces
the travel need and ensures activation of public spaces all the time. At the scale of the city, being compact
implies being integrated spatially by public transit frameworks3. There will be no linear development. It is
TOD based polycentric highly densified mixed development.

Transport: Well integrated Mass Rapid Transit & ICT based Virtual Transport System should be
implemented. There can be BRT, ordinary buses, light rail, tram and metro systems and para transit. They
should be densified. An ecosystem among them can provide highest mobility to the people. Space efficient

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public transport like bus is an important element of transit-oriented development. Different types of buses
can be used like double decker, triple decker, articulated buses etc. They have a very high operational
capacity. Instead of geometric augmentation operational augmentation can provide sustainability. It can
provide mobility in the pick hour.

Sidewalks: Sidewalks are typically wider than roads in TOD. As there is a mix development people need
to walk more instead of travel. In transit-oriented development passengers are basically the pedestrians.
There should be a pedestrian friendly environment beside public transport development. Buildings and
spaces designed to make people feel comfortable and secure is the initial point for pedestrian scale walkable
places. A compact, fine-grained network of sidewalks along blocks having a variety of uses in close vicinity
provides a comfortable balance for individuals to meet regular needs within a short walk. Uses include
grocery stores, cafes, deli's, pastry shops, newspaper kiosks, coffeehouses, personal services, vegetable
stands, open-air markets, and public parks and plazas3.

Bicycle lanes: Bicycles become a key mode of transport once a city is made bike-friendly. First and
foremost, bikes require a network of their own dedicated, protected lanes physically separated from
vehicles. In addition to dedicated bike lanes, introducing bikeshare systems with a high number of bikes
and docking stations throughout a city will encourage very high bike use due to the suitability of bikeshare3

Roadway: One way road provides much productivity than two way. This type of road is very sustainable.
It becomes self-enforced easily. So, one way road is much preferable. If there is two or more lanes for
transports there should be a configuration of bus stoppage so that it won’t block a lane. Roadway needs to
be straight and can slightly change in the junction because turning movement can reduce productivity of
the road

Multimodal system: A multimodal mass transit system can play an important role in a transit oriented city.
There should be multi-modal transfer system with comfortable transfer facility. It enables a passenger to
change the A connection can be provided between 2 modes by elevated walkway. An ecosystem should be
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developed among the transports of river, rail and roads. Densified use of terminal is possible for company
based buses.

Reduced and Hidden Parking: Parking and how well its incorporated into TODs goes a long way to
helping create habitable places, and transitioning places to become more walkable. It can be implemented
in many ways:
• Clustering parking in vital areas to encourage walking, and to focus pedestrian activity along
important commercial streets
• Shared parking between many buildings and uses
• Reduction in total parking spaces on the project location compared to routine parking
requirement

Close Proximity to Rail Station: The heart of successful TODs is close vicinity to rail stations, furthermore
the quality of the walking experience to enable and encourage high levels of walking and biking to and
from the station. Projects ought to be no more than a 1/4 to 1/2 mile from a rail station (currently in
operation, or under construction). Qualified rail includes high speed rail, commuter rail, metro, light rail,
and streetcar. This close proximity enables individuals to induce to the station within a comfortable 5–10-
minute walk3.

Conclusion:
TOD is a very much futuristic and sustainable transportation development. A converging transit hub
creates ridership, ridership brings revenue and revenue makes an intensive project sustainable. If we can
develop a polycentric TOD scenario, the city will be disciplined and manageable. This is an urban
development response to the congestion, carbon emissions, and inefficiency of single-use, suburban
sprawl. Transit oriented development is a set of transportation and land use planning principles and
strategies that are sweeping the nation by connecting communities with vibrant, people-centric places in
city after city. The public has embraced the concept, and real estate developers have quickly followed to
meet the high demand for quality urban places served by rail systems. This is not only because TOD can
offer a higher quality of life, but because it offers a triple bottom line solution to economic, social, and
environmental sustainability.
The current development of metro lines in Dhaka brings a prospect to coordinated transport and land use
through promoting TOD. It will connect the northern periphery to the CBD through 16 stations along the
20.1 km passage. In any case, current planning strategies propose TOD but there is no detail planning
about how to make it happen. As Dhaka is unconstrained city with already existing higher population
density and unplanned spatial development, TOD execution in this context is more challenging than other
cities. Additionally, there is no past TOD not even mass transit experience before. Hence, the setting of
particular forces need to be crafted very carefully to explore the best suitable typology and development
proposals4.

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Reference:
1. Efficient public transport for sustainable development [Internet]. Geospatialworld.net. 2019[cited 2022
Aug 5] Available from: https://www.geospatial.net/article/autonomous-vehicles-sustainable-
transportation/

2. Nikhil NVS, View my complete profile. Characteristics and design principles of transit oriented
development [Internet]. Townandcountryplanninginfo.com. [cited 2022 Aug 5]. Available from:
https://www.townandcountryplanningonfo.com/2020/characteristics- and-design-principles.html

3. Transit Oriented Development [Internet]. Tod.org. [cited 2022 Aug 5]. Available from:http:tod.org

4. HAQUE A, SHARNA FK, KHAN A. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in Dhaka: Opportunities
and Challenges for (Re) development around Stations. Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for
Transportation Studies. 2019 Dec 31; 13:12

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