For good TOD planning, start with infrastructure like this

Above is a very good illustration of what amounts to a suburban retrofit to accommodate a new light rail station and associated development.  The neighborhood is not far south of Miami International Airport.  The infrastructure in particular is very accommodating and friendly to walkability and environmental values.

Today, the area looks like this:

Here’s a description of the proposed new infrastructure from SE Florida Transit Alternatives:

“A sustainable development commitment of transit, complete streets with separated bike lanes.  New green spaces/gathering areas highlighting the region's abundant natural beauty along its waterways.  Tree-lined streets, landscaped medians.  Intersections and crosswalks highlighted with numerous decorative pavements and signage promoting safe, walkable pedestrian friendly streets and shopping districts.  Station platforms elevated over busy cross streets connecting opposite sides as well creating iconic images for the new transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly Miami.”

Of course, the infrastructure is only the beginning, since placing more people within walking distance of the station will be critical to its success.  This may not be a simple matter, since SEFTA’s illustration contemplates the loss of quite a few existing single-family homes to make way for new, denser development.  In addition, it is important to remember that orientation is key to really good transit-oriented development; simply having dense development near transit isn’t enough.

But the conceptual illustration doesn’t pretend to reach those questions.  It focuses on infrastructure, and does so well.

Related posts:

• How the complete streets movement is improving our communities (November 4, 2013)
• "Transit-oriented development" - becoming loose talk? (July 26, 2013)
• How walkable, transit-oriented neighborhoods help seniors (June 5, 2012)
• Promoting people-oriented development around transit (May 21, 2012)
• What good, grassroots advocacy for complete streets looks like (May 3, 2013)
• Households in transit-oriented locations save more energy and emissions than even 'green' households in sprawl (February 24, 2011)
• Transit-oriented development requires more than transit and development (January 25, 2010)

Move your cursor over the images for credit information.

Kaid Benfield writes about community, development, and the environment on Switchboard and in the national media.  Kaid’s new book, People Habitat: 25 Ways to Think About Greener, Healthier Cities, is available for order now.