Next week at the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Medellin, Colombia, ITDP will release Transit-oriented Development (TOD) scores for 50 urban developments from around the world. The scores will highlight best practices in global TOD. Using the metrics from the TOD Standard, ITDP evaluated development projects on six continents to see how they incorporated the eight principles of high quality TOD and rated qualifying projects as gold, silver, or bronze. The scores will be announced on April 10 at an official side event, part of ITDP’s panels and presentations at WUF, which will also feature discussions about promoting high quality TOD developments, using BRT and TOD to leverage economic development, and incorporating equity issues into land use planning.
The TOD Standard, released in November 2013, is a tool to help developers and urban planners create projects that connect people conveniently, affordably and safely to jobs, shopping, education and opportunity. Using specific metrics, such as adequate walkways, distance to transit, and inclusion of affordable housing, the TOD Standard Scorecard can be used to assess the success of specific developments at creating urban environments that promote better lives and healthier cities. With the urban share of the world’s population expected to increase to 70 percent by 2050, building smarter developments is increasingly important to cities’ health, livability, and competitiveness. The TOD Standard and Scorecard help urban planners, government regulators and real-estate developers meet the needs of their burgeoning cities while reducing their impact on regional climate change.
At WUF, ITDP will present on a range of topics, including lessons learned from the best TOD developments, addressing affordability and equity issues in land use planning, and the role of transit in both promoting economic development and reducing carbon emissions. See a list of events run by ITDP and our partners. From parking reform to shared mobility programs to policies that promote high quality TOD, ITDP looks forward to furthering the discussion on how to build ‘cities for life’.
Follow ITDP on Twitter @ITDP_HQ for live updates from WUF-7, check out the newest version of the TOD Standard, and check back on April 10 for a list of TOD best practices and an interactive map of top rated developments worldwide.