State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

How Open Data Can Help Encourage More Transit-Oriented Development

Data-Smart City Solutions: As demand grows for more sustainable and equitable urban planning, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) initiatives have been gaining steam worldwide. From Washington to Hong Kong to Chicago, many cities have developed TOD policies that aim to increase public transit use, enhance resident access to jobs, and reduce carbon emissions that arise from automobile dependency.

Yet in many places, the path to enacting effective TOD policies comes with obstacles. These can range from restrictive zoning laws to wary residents and hesitant elected officials. If TOD advocates wish to sway local policy or opinion, then sharing information and guiding public discourse becomes critical. Given the complexity of many TOD proposals out there, this isn’t always an easy task.

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