Identifying Successful Transit Oriented Developments in

Los Angeles

By: Lupita IbarraIntroduction to GIS Midterm Project

February 8, 2011

Background

• A Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is usually defined as high-density, mixed-use development within a 0.5 mile walking distance of a transit station. A TOD provides many benefits such as:

- increase transit ridership- reduce regional congestion and pollution- healthier and more walkable neighborhoods- reduce income segregation - provide lower-income residents with occupational and social mobility.1

• Only accounting for MTA transit routes, there are 120 TODs in Los Angeles County.2

• According to 2000 Census data there are 15,620,448 Angelenos living within the 0.5 mile radius and more than 6.5 million jobs are located within the transit region. Moreover, the median household income for this area is estimated to be $45,000/ year.

• People that live within a TOD vicinity are usually renters and/or low income, minorities, immigrants, and transit dependent individuals.3

What is a Transit Oriented Development?

Quick Facts

1. Center for Transit Oriented Development, 2011.2. CA Department of Transportation, 2011.3. Center for Transit Oriented Development, 2011

Examine community/transit linkages and land use around TODs

• Is a TOD’s success correlated with the amount of transit connections within the 0.5 mile radius?

• Is a TOD’s success correlated with the degree of complimentary land use?

What features make some TODs better performing than others?

• Density

• Walkable environment

• Good land use mix

Purpose and Methodology

What categories are good units of measuring/analyzing the success of TODs?

• Connectivity

• Complimentary land use

• Small block size

• Lots of connectivity

• Easy access to jobs

Household Median Income in LA County

Percent of Public Transit Dependent Workers

Percent of Whites, Blacks, Latinos and Immigrants Within Transit Region

White

Black

Immigrant

Latino

Basic Breakdown of Features

Willow Transit StationPopulation 2000: 18, 118Jobs 2000: 5, 178Median Income 2008: $37,069Percent Renters: 39.86%Percent White: 8.63%Percent Black: 5.63%Percent Latino: 82.45%Percent Immigrant: 69.20%

Atlantic Transit StationPopulation 2000: 20,767Jobs 2000: 2,561Median Income 2008: $33,702Percent Renters: 53.12%Percent White: 2.05%Percent Black: 5.05%Percent Latino: 60.55%Percent Immigrant: 56.85%

Mariachi Plaza Transit StationPopulation 2000: 17,966Jobs 2000: 5,417Median Income 2008: $21,133Percent Renters: 79.72%Percent White: 12.81%Percent Black: 4.80%Percent Latino: 60.11%Percent Immigrant: 52.95%

Sierra Madre Villa Transit StationPopulation 2000: 9,607Jobs 2000: 2,595Median Income 2008: $50,558Percent Renters: 22.38%Percent White: 12.32%Percent Black: 10.04%Percent Latino: 42.23%Percent Immigrant: 39.20%

North Hollywood Transit StationPopulation 2000: 27,665Jobs 2000: 8,080Median Income 2008:$ 28,381Percent Renters: 51.01%Percent White: 35.44%Percent Black: 6.06%Percent Latino: 52.23%Percent Immigrant: 39.20%

Vermont/Beverly Transit StationPopulation 2000: 20, 509Jobs 2000: 4,836Median Income 2008: $23,515Percent Renters: 83.81%Percent White: 7.78%Percent Black: 4.70%Percent Latino: 43.99%Percent Immigrant: 63.01%

Source: 2000 Census, 2005-2009 American Community Survey.*Percentages were aggregated from totals within each category and falling within the half-mile buffer

Rent Density Around Selected Transit Oriented Developments

Willow Total Connections: 7Metro Local: 60Long Beach Transit: 1, 51, 52, 101, 102, 103

Atlantic Total Connections: 7Metro Local: 260, 762Montebello Transit: 10, 40, 341, 342El Sol

Vermont/Beverly Total Connections: 5Metro Local: 14, 204, 714, 754LADOT

Sierra Madre Villa Total Connections: 14Metro Local: 177, 181, 264, 266, 268Metro Express: 487Foothill Transit: 187Pasadena ARTS: 31, 32, 40, 60City of Sierra Madre City ShuttleCity of Arcadia ShuttleRound-a-Bout Shuttle

North Hollywood Total Connections: 16 Metro Local: 152, 154, 156, 183, 224, 353, 363, 656Metro Liner: 902, Orange LineSanta Clarita Transit: 757Burbank Bus Noho Media District, Noho Airport AreaLADOT Commuter Express: 549

Mariachi Plaza Total Connections: 4Metro Local: 30, 620LA DOTEl Sol

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• Inset Map

• Graduated Symbols

• Buffering

• Geocoding

• Images

• Geoprocessing

Skills Used