An Examination of Successful Mixed Use in Transit Oriented Development as Conceptually Applied to the Proposed Ambassador Way Transit Station in Houston, Texas

Through the implementation of a state of the art light rail system, Houston has relinquished its title as the largest city in the US without a fixed guide way transit system. METRORail has been designed with the intent to enhance environmental, social, and economic development. The rail is one of a number of mobility improvements to counter Houston's ranking as among the top ten worst cities in terms of traffic congestion. This is in some measure due to lower density, vast residential and commercial development patterns that force people to drive more frequently and over longer distances. However, in recent times people have rediscovered that building in proximity to "good public transit connections" is an amenity that attracts the interest of renters, homebuyers and many businesses. This realization has been formed out of a 30-year debate about rail transit systems. It has become apparent that a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in Houston can work. According to the Urban Land Institute, TOD is considered a major way to create more securely clustered, pedestrian friendly, mixed use projects that can increase rail ridership. The purpose of this study is to investigate, analyze and evaluate the suggested and implemented successful principles of TOD system and relate the patterns to the Houston's Ambassador Way Transit Station. This research will be useful for transit organizations and other stakeholders engaged in Houston's new transit developments, to ensure that nearby growth will produce adequate numbers of riders to nourish transit and initiate a desire to optimize land use around the Ambassador Way Transit Station community. This work also will serve as a guide to communities, designers and developers who may not initially recognize the basic valuable principles that underlie any TOD project.

• Record URL:
  http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/473700-00046-1.pdf
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers program to the Southwest University Transportation Center, which is funded 50% with general revenue funds from the State of Texas.
• Corporate Authors:

  Southwest Region University Transportation Center

  Texas A&M University
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

  Texas Southern University, Houston

  Center for Transportation Training and Research, 3100 Cleburne Avenue
  Houston, TX  United States  77004
• Authors:
  • Davis, Tammye
  • Lewis, Carol A
• Publication Date: 2005-9-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 64p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Land use planning; Light rail transit; Mixed use development; Transit centers; Transit oriented development
• Geographic Terms: Houston (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01005736
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: SWUTC/05/473700-00046-1
• Contract Numbers: DTRS99-G-0006 (Grant)
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 16 2005 1:14PM