Edmonton’s Transit Oriented Development Journey Tom Young, MCIP, MCP NZ Group Manager, Urban Planning & Environmental Services Auckland Design Office Lunchtime Learning [email protected] July 2018 Agenda 1 Edmonton? I’m vaguely familiar… 2 Refresher: What is TOD? 3 Edmonton’s Slow Start 4 Getting Up to Speed 5 Lessons for Auckland That’s a Long Way 12,000 km from Auckland The Cities Compared Auckland Edmonton The Cities Compared Auckland Edmonton Regional Population 1.7 million 1.3 million Population by 2042 2.3 million 2.0 million Auto Mode Share 83% 78% PT Mode Share (Commute) 8.4% 14.6% PT Trips Per Capita 55/year 97/year Urban Density 1,400/km2 1,850/km2 2 Refresher: What is TOD? TOD is… “A compact development, with moderate to higher densities, located within an easy walk of a transit station, generally with a mix of residential, employment, and shopping opportunities designed for pedestrians [and cyclists] without excluding the auto.” Source: Arrington, Transit Oriented Development: Understanding the Fundamentals of TOD, 2007 TOD aims to… Encourage walking, cycling and PT Increase public transport revenues Improve safety outcomes Provide public health benefits Support move towards Zero Carbon Create more livable communities Density of Development 400 m (5 min. walk) 200 m Station 800m (and more depending on form of transit) Diversity – A Mix of Uses Housing Shopping Jobs Design – Buildings, Streets and Public Spaces Architecture and Street Multi-modal Streets Relationships Design – Connected Networks 3 Edmonton’s Slow Start 1978 • Downtown to Belvedere • 6.9 km, 5 stations May or may not be Auckland Belvedere Station PARK + RIDE BUS TERMINAL 100 m Belvedere Station PARK + RIDE BUS TERMINAL LOW INTENSITY INDUSTRIAL 100 m Belvedere Station AUTO-ORIENTED RETAIL LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL PARK + RIDE BUS TERMINAL LOW INTENSITY INDUSTRIAL 100 m Belvedere Station Coliseum Station Area Zoning Bonnie Doon Coliseum Station Area Clareview Station Area Clareview Station Area SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS RECREATION FACILITIES HOUSING INTEGRATED WITH RETAIL AND PARKING Clareview Station Area Clareview Station Area TOD didn’t succeed because: Density Zoning allowed for it, but in locations where the market didn’t want to build it + Diversity Served diverse land uses, but many tended not to be transit supportive + Design Station integration and design guidance for private development severely lacking 4 Getting Up to Speed 1978 • Downtown to Belvedere • Underground in Downtown 1981 • Belvedere to Clareview 1983 • Central to Corona • Underground 1989 • Corona to Grandin • Underground 1992 • Grandin to University • River crossing 2006 • University to Health Sciences • Return to surface 2009 • Health Sciences to Century Park 2015 • New Metro Line • Churchill to NAIT/Blatchford • Current extent of LRT • 24 km, 18 stations • 27 km Valley Line under construction • Multiple extensions in design Lewis Farms 2008 • Proposed West Line • Health Sciences to Lewis Farms “No more crap!” Stephen Mandel, 2006 State of the City Address Multiple Criteria Analysis Assessment Category Weighting Land Use/Promoting 26.7% Compact Urban Form Movement of 20.0% People/Goods Feasibility/ 13.3% Constructability Effects on Parks and 13.3% Public Spaces Natural Environment 13.3% Social Environment 13.3% Overall 100% From this… …to this and this… …to this Station/TOD Typologies TOD Plans Since 2008 • 30,000+ residential units planned • 230,000 sm commercial floor space • More proposals in progress • 24 ha shopping mall site • 1,750 residential units • 70,000 sm of reconfigured retail Mill Woods Town Centre • 24 ha shopping mall site • 1,750 residential units • 70,000 sm of reconfigured retail Mill Woods Town Centre Mill Woods Town Centre • 12 ha shopping mall site (1950s) • 3,000 residential units • “Daylighting” of redeveloped retail to a series of on-site streets Bonnie Doon • 12 ha shopping mall site (1950s) • 3,000 residential units • “Daylighting” of redeveloped retail to a series of on-site streets Bonnie Doon • 12 ha shopping mall site (1950s) • 3,000 residential units • “Daylighting” of redeveloped retail to a series of on-site streets Bonnie Doon • 18 ha former shopping mall site • Current end-of-line park and ride • 4,200 residential units • Office and retail Century Park Century Park • 217 ha former airport site • Council acting as developer • 15,000 residential units • 130,000 sm office and retail • 25 year build-out Blatchford Blatchford H B 2 km 9 km CBD CBD Blatchford vs Hobsonville 5 Lessons for Auckland Essential Elements for TOD Edmonton’s Lessons Plan LRT that integrates with and 1 adds to communities Edmonton struggled for Consider a broad-based decades because early route range of effects and choices were easy ones, not the possibilities. Focusing best ones. narrowly on moving people as quickly as possible may Choose technology and design have negative side effects infrastructure that is adapted to and create missed context. LRT should be an asset opportunities. rather than a liability. Edmonton’s Lessons Choose your route and station 2 locations carefully Think not only about what exists now, but where the best potential is in the future. Station areas with large sites Areas with small lots and that have older building stock areas that are vehicle- or government-owned land oriented (e.g., large provide better opportunities unadaptable blocks, big box for more rapid transformation retail, newer buildings not into TOD and public transport supportive of public transport) supportive areas. are difficult areas for TOD. Edmonton’s Lessons Establish firm Target public sector planning efforts where conditions are 3 principles but be not ripe for the private sector open to different to lead (i.e. areas with fragmented ownership or the methods of need for significant public achieving them infrastructure investments). TOD frameworks should be Let the private sector lead prepared early to set clear where the market is strong, expectations for density, but hold them to a high diversity, and design, for all standard on transit- actors. orientation. Edmonton’s Lessons Have patience, and Redevelopment that can be implemented in small, 4 avoid “zone it and progressive steps over time is best. Government priorities they will come” or change and economies rise silver bullet strategies and fall, so hanging your hat on megaprojects is Density is but one piece of dangerous. the puzzle, and is best negotiated to maximize Successful TOD is complex public value on diversity and and requires coordination of design, rather than given up multiple parties over many at the beginning of the years. Be prepared to be in it process. for the long haul. Tom Young, MCIP, MCP NZ Group Manager, Urban Planning & Environmental Services [email protected] Thank You! Edmonton’s Lessons Plan LRT that Establish firm 1integrates with 3 principles but be and adds to open to different communities methods of achieving them Choose your Have patience, and 2 route and station 4 avoid “zone it and locations they will come” or carefully silver bullet strategies.