Transforming Cities With Transit

This study delves into the intricate process of integrating transit and land use in rapidly expanding cities in developing countries. It begins by identifying obstacles to and opportunities for effectively coordinating transit infrastructure and urban development. It then proposes a series of policies and measures for overcoming these obstacles and capitalizing on these opportunities.

Well-integrated transit and land development result in urban environments that decrease reliance on private motor vehicles. Areas with excellent access to public transit and well-designed urban spaces that are walkable and bikeable become highly desirable places for people to live, work, learn, play, and interact. Such environments enhance a city’s economic competitiveness, reduce local pollution and global greenhouse gas emissions, and foster inclusive development. These objectives lie at the core of transit-oriented development (TOD), a urban form increasingly crucial for sustainable urban futures.

This book adopts a case study approach, drawing lessons from global best-case examples of transit-oriented metropolises relevant to cities in developing countries and elsewhere currently investing in bus rapid transit (BRT) and other high-capacity transit systems. It presents results from two original in-depth case studies of rapidly growing and motorizing cities that have implemented extended BRT systems: Ahmedabad, India, and Bogota, Colombia. Two shorter case studies—of Guangzhou, China, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam—further enhance understanding of critical factors in “transforming cities with transit.”

The mechanisms for successfully integrating transit and urban development are intricate, involving various factors such as a city’s inherent characteristics, governance structures, institutional settings, public sector initiatives and actions, financing instruments, and market responses. Transit influences urban development by improving accessibility; conversely, land attributes, such as residential and job densities and land-use mixing, affect travel demand. While this study mainly focuses on the impact of transit investment on land use and urban form, it acknowledges the reciprocal relationship between land use and transit demand.

Analyzing the interaction between public sector initiatives and market response is particularly challenging due to incomplete understanding of these mechanisms. The study examines market response indirectly, by studying influences such as BRT improvements on residential land prices and private real estate investment decisions. The cases suggest that private markets do not always respond as expected to transit investments, sometimes opting to develop housing away from BRT corridors. Institutional, regulatory, and financial constraints that hinder successful transit and land-use integration are identified, alongside opportunities for sustainable pathways.

The book concludes with policy recommendations drawn from global best practices and insights gained from studying challenges faced by Ahmedabad and Bogota. While most cases reviewed are from developed countries, the aim is to impart key principles and lessons applicable to cities planning or investing in large-scale transit systems, tailored to local realities. Recommendations range from macro-level strategies influencing land development and governance to micro-level initiatives like TOD, capable of radically transforming development patterns at the neighborhood level.

This book targets a diverse audience, including mayors, policymakers, urban and transport planners, transit agency officials, developers, and staff of development financial institutions involved in TOD projects in rapidly growing and motorizing cities in the developing world.