Incorporating Environmental Sustainability into Transit-Oriented Development on Detroit Light Rail Transit System

University Transportation Centers Program2010PDFResearch PaperKhasnabis, SnehamayMcElmurry, Shawn P.Elibe, Elibe A.Dutta, UtpalTenazas, EricMichigan Ohio University Transportation CenterUniversity of Detroit MercyWayne State UniversityUnited States. Department of Transportation. Research and Innovative Technology AdministrationUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramMichigan Ohio University Transportation CenterDetroit (Michigan)Environmental impactsLight rail transitRail transit stationsSustainable developmentSustainable transportationTransit oriented developmentReport No: MIOH UTC TS23p2 2010-FinalThe term 'sustainability' is being used increasingly in policy debates about future transportation, and evokes strong reactions among policy-makers, users, and experts. In a broad sense, sustainability implies the \u2018capacity to endure over an extended period\u2019, and has become a wide ranging concept applied to nearly every facet of life. Sustainable development implies conscientious use of resources to meet human needs, present and future, while ensuring the preservation of the natural environment. The topic of discussion in this report is the degree to which sustainability can be incorporated into certain types of development, namely transit-oriented development (TOD) at, or in proximity to, light-rail transit (LRT) stations. A set of goals, primarily from the existing literature for sustainable transportation is presented, and an effort is made by the project team to demonstrate how a majority of these goals can be achieved by proper planning of LRT systems. The project team contends that TOD can be used as a vehicle to attain sustainable LRT stations. When factors such as air quality and the depletion of natural resources are considered, LRT is thought to be superior to standard bus or bus-rapid transit (BRT) services. However, LRT systems are considered more capitally-intensive than BRT systems, a factor that would require a minimum population threshold value. The project team contends that environmental considerations should receive greater priority in the decision-making process for transportation projects. While the concept of environmental impact is based upon the minimization of adverse impacts, a stronger emphasis on sustainability can be realized by maximizing environmental performance. The purpose of this study was to incorporate environmental sustainability into TOD packages that have been developed for two proposed rail-transit stations in the metropolitan Detroit area: one located in the city of Detroit and one located near the border shared by the suburban cities of Troy and Birmingham. Environmentally sustainable design considerations are proposed for each of the TOD sites and planning, economic, and institutional mechanisms that may ease the implementation process are identified.127