Revitalizing Suburban Corridors: Rosslyn/Ballston
vs. Tysons
Robert T. Dunphy Transportation Consultant
Georgetown University Real Estate Program, Adjunct Professor
Georgetown Global Education Institute (GGEI)Georgetown Global Education Institute (GGEI)September 16. 2014
Outline
Revitalizing suburban corridorsRevitalizing suburban corridors Declining – Rosslyn-BallstonDeclining – Rosslyn-Ballston Successful – Tysons Successful – Tysons
What is TOD?What is TOD? Rosslyn-Ballston successRosslyn-Ballston success Mistakes in Long IslandMistakes in Long Island Tysons corridorTysons corridor Guangzhou BRTGuangzhou BRT
What is TOD?
Generally includes:Generally includes:strong transit connection (increase use of transit)strong transit connection (increase use of transit)
moderate to high densitymoderate to high densitymixed usemixed use
pedestrian-orientedpedestrian-oriented
DevelopmentDevelopment TransitTransit
Development Does Not Happen Just Because of the Transit
It Takes:It Takes: Planning Planning RegulationsRegulations Incentives (possibly)Incentives (possibly)
Private sector participationPrivate sector participation
TOD: Transportation Perspective
Urban Development - Good Supports transit Housing, walking
Suburban Development (Conventional)- Bad Excessive driving Transit difficult Hard to walk
TOD: Developers Perspective
Urban MXD Harder Urban MXD Harder Takes longerTakes longer More expensiveMore expensive Unproven Market, Hi RiskUnproven Market, Hi Risk
Conventional SuburbanConventional Suburban Easy to do, cheapEasy to do, cheap Where the Growth isWhere the Growth is Few OpponentsFew Opponents
Public Private Cooperation
Planning - GovernmentPlanning - Government Creates visionCreates vision Sets regulationsSets regulations Provides facilitiesProvides facilities
Developers – BusinessDevelopers – Business InvestInvest Acquire landAcquire land Build for market Build for market
Think Development When Thinking Transit Transit connects activityTransit connects activity Adopt transit-supportive Adopt transit-supportive
densities, and plansdensities, and plans Cheap transit routes create Cheap transit routes create
poor development optionspoor development options
Create a Common Vision
Agreement on growth plans among Agreement on growth plans among citizens, developers, officialscitizens, developers, officials
Helps public and private investments to Helps public and private investments to work togetherwork together
Rosslyn/ Ballston corridorBest in the US - Arlington, VA
DecliningDeclining Retail closuresRetail closures Lumber yardsLumber yards Pawn ShopsPawn Shops Oil TanksOil Tanks
Rosslyn, VARosslyn, VA
Reroute transit to create development opportunities Underground route along main street vs Underground route along main street vs
highway medianhighway median Relocate TransitRelocate Transit Cluster DevelopmentCluster Development
Not Always Successful:Transforming the Nassau Hub
Levittown, Levittown, New York York “America’s First Suburb”“America’s First Suburb”• Successful commercial center• Disconnected suburban pattern• Limited low density housing• Redesign center, redevelop coliseum
‘’A vision for a new suburbia”
Link government, shopping, college and medical complex.
Expand tax base, preserve neighborhoods
Hesitant Redevelopment
2007 – Development team chosen2007 – Development team chosen Developers vision big for communityDevelopers vision big for community Officials criticized ‘’Suozzi Land”Officials criticized ‘’Suozzi Land” Reduced height and density to Reduced height and density to
"preserve suburban character”"preserve suburban character” 2011 - voters rejected a proposal for 2011 - voters rejected a proposal for
a taxpayer-funded new arenaa taxpayer-funded new arena
Rail to Dulles – Redeveloping Tysons Corner Financially successful Financially successful Cannot cross roads, no residentsCannot cross roads, no residents
Transforming Tysons
A mix of housing, retail, and officesA mix of housing, retail, and offices Good connectivity promotes convenient Good connectivity promotes convenient
walking and drivingwalking and driving Extensive transit choicesExtensive transit choices Expanded residential baseExpanded residential base Great places and pleasant walkingGreat places and pleasant walking Parks and civic institutionsParks and civic institutions
Streets and Parking
Create street grid and sidewalksCreate street grid and sidewalks Reduce parking for new developmentsReduce parking for new developments Supplemental transit – bus/trolley to Supplemental transit – bus/trolley to
extend the reach of Metro beyond extend the reach of Metro beyond walking distancewalking distance
Sacramento Blueprint – From regional to rural
Regional effort, focused on the Regional effort, focused on the urbanized areas. urbanized areas.
Understand rural areas as much as Understand rural areas as much as they did for the urban areas; they did for the urban areas;
Mapped crop growth. Mapped crop growth. Econometric model for various crops. Econometric model for various crops.
National Association of Rural Development Organizations, National Association of Rural Development Organizations, Regional Approaches to Sustainable Development : Regional Approaches to Sustainable Development : Linking Linking Economic, Transportation, and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural and Small Metropolitan America, Washington, DC, September 2011Economic, Transportation, and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural and Small Metropolitan America, Washington, DC, September 2011
Sacramento – regional crop inventory
Region - understand what affects Region - understand what affects agricultural and policies or strategies agricultural and policies or strategies that could support the industry. that could support the industry.
• Micro scale- help farmer adjust production variables to improve his or her operation.
National Association of Rural Development Organizations, National Association of Rural Development Organizations, Regional Approaches to Sustainable Development : Regional Approaches to Sustainable Development : Linking Economic, Transportation, and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural and Small Metropolitan America, Washington, Linking Economic, Transportation, and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural and Small Metropolitan America, Washington,
DC, September 2011DC, September 2011
Supporting agriculture
Agricultural products are one of the Agricultural products are one of the most valuable products in the region. most valuable products in the region.
Developing a regional theme of Developing a regional theme of agriculture and a focus on sustainable agriculture and a focus on sustainable food sources. food sources.
Making agriculture more viable allows Making agriculture more viable allows more land to return to production (rather more land to return to production (rather than become developed).than become developed).
.. And Small town revitalization The Sacramento region is home to The Sacramento region is home to
small towns that serve the surrounding small towns that serve the surrounding agricultural community. agricultural community.
Helped restore and maintain the historic Helped restore and maintain the historic downtown communitydowntown community..
Willowsford
Lots Sited within “agricultural theaters” Lots Sited within “agricultural theaters” Defining Features Defining Features Managed Open Space Managed Open Space Rural CharacterRural Character Farm and Culinary Focus Farm and Culinary Focus 40+ Miles of Multipurpose Trails 40+ Miles of Multipurpose Trails Pools and Community CentersPools and Community Centers Unique Amenities—Camp Sites, Sledding Unique Amenities—Camp Sites, Sledding
Hill, Tree Houses, Fishing Pier Hill, Tree Houses, Fishing Pier
Guangzhou, China Before BRT
Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Transit Transit
Colin Hughes & Xianyuan Zhu, Colin Hughes & Xianyuan Zhu, Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Transit: Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Transit:
Emissions Impact Analysis, ITDP, May Emissions Impact Analysis, ITDP, May 20112011
Guangzhou, China After BRT
Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Transit Transit
Colin Hughes & Xianyuan Zhu, Guangzhou, Colin Hughes & Xianyuan Zhu, Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Transit: Emissions Impact China Bus Rapid Transit: Emissions Impact
Analysis, ITDP, May 2011Analysis, ITDP, May 2011
Guangzhou BRT corridor along Zhongshan Avenue 22Km corridor, 26 stations22Km corridor, 26 stations Links Guangzhou’s most developed Links Guangzhou’s most developed
areas to places where future growth is areas to places where future growth is expectedexpected
Operations First BRT system in First BRT system in
China to contract China to contract multiple bus companies multiple bus companies
Consolidated to seven Consolidated to seven different companies different companies operating separate operating separate routesroutes
Bus operators are paid a Bus operators are paid a percentage of the total percentage of the total passenger revenuepassenger revenue
Passenger comfort
BRT loading platform, real-time BRT loading platform, real-time signage, and pre-board paymentsignage, and pre-board payment
Guangzhou BRT Performance 805,000 daily trips - first year805,000 daily trips - first year More than Guangzhou's metro linesMore than Guangzhou's metro lines Average bus speed has increased by Average bus speed has increased by
29%, and29%, and Traffic speeds increased alsoTraffic speeds increased also
Guangzhou BRT vs. Major US Transit Markets?
If it were a separate city, the If it were a separate city, the Guangzhou BRT would rank 9Guangzhou BRT would rank 9thth
among US transit regionsamong US transit regions
Costs
950 million yuan (USD 103 million), or 950 million yuan (USD 103 million), or 30 million yuan (USD 4.5 million)/ 30 million yuan (USD 4.5 million)/ kilometer. kilometer.
About one-tenth to one–twentieth cost About one-tenth to one–twentieth cost of recent metro projects in Asia, of recent metro projects in Asia,
Fares – 47% lower with BRTFares – 47% lower with BRT ““the operational cost savings will return 79% of the the operational cost savings will return 79% of the
capital costs BRT within ten years”.capital costs BRT within ten years”.Colin Hughes & Xianyuan Zhu, Colin Hughes & Xianyuan Zhu,
Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Transit: Guangzhou, China Bus Rapid Transit: Emissions Impact Analysis, ITDP, May Emissions Impact Analysis, ITDP, May
20112011
Challenges
bus congestion at dedicated stops -- bus congestion at dedicated stops -- transitway barrier 4 lane plus 1.5 lane transitway barrier 4 lane plus 1.5 lane wide stations 500 feet long. wide stations 500 feet long.
physical barrier physical barrier
Serving growth?Serving growth?