PLAN 625: INTRODUCTION TO GIS IN

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING

Submitted to
Dr. Douglas Wunneburger

Transit Oriented Development - Exploring Land Utilization along

DART Corridors
Fall 2007

Nitin Warrier
Masters: Urban and Regional Planning – Semester III
Texas A&M University
College Station
PLAN 625 – Introduction to GIS Nitin Warrier

Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 3

Methodology......................................................................................................................... 5

Success and Limitations of TOD .......................................................................................... 7

Background to DART ........................................................................................................... 8

Transit Oriented Development Initiatives.......................................................................... 10

Conclusion: Future of TOD’s in Dallas ............................................................................ 17

Bibliography....................................................................................................................... 19

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List of Tables
Table 1: Land Use Categories And Codes (1995 and 2005) ................................................. 6
Table 2: TOD Indicators ........................................................................................................... 8
Table 3: Policies and Strategies of Dallas Area Rapid Transit......................................................... 10

List of Maps
Map 1: Traffic Analysis Zones................................................................................................... 6
Map 2: City of Dallas: 2005 Land Use Map.............................................................................. 6
Map 3: DART Corridor Catchment Area................................................................................... 7
Map 4: Land Use along DART Corridor Catchment Area (1995)................................................ 11
Map 5: Land Use along DART Corridor Catchment Area (2005)................................................ 12
Map 6: LU around Mockingbird (1995)................................................................................... 14
Map 7: LU around Mockingbird (2005)................................................................................... 14

List of Maps
Fig 1: Dallas City Classification.................................................................................................. 9
Fig 2: 1995 Land Use Breakup adjoining the corridor................................................................... 13
Fig 3: 2005 Land Use Breakup adjoining the corridor................................................................... 13
Fig 4: Mockingbird Station....................................................................................................... 14
Fig 5: Parking Structure and Retail ........................................................................................... 14
Fig 6: Land Use Composition - 1995......................................................................................... 15
Fig 7: Land Use Composition - 2005......................................................................................... 15
Fig 8: ‘The Beat’.................................................................................................................... 16
Fig 9: ‘South Side’ .................................................................................................................. 16
Fig 10: East Side Village (Aerial View) .................................................................................... 16
Fig 11: Apartments................................................................................................................. 16
Fig 12: Under Construction ...................................................................................................... 17
Fig 13: Mixed Use Development ............................................................................................... 17
Fig 14: View of Streets and Adjoining Development...................................................................... 17

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List of Abbreviations
COG Council of Governments
DART Dallas Area Rapid Transit
DTS Dallas Transit Service
DFW Dallas Fort Worth Metropolitan Region
FTA Federal Transit Administration
GIS Geographic Information System
LRT Light Rail Transit
LU Land Use
MATA McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
MAQ Mobility and Air Quality
MTP Metropolitan Transportation Plan
NCTCOG North Central Texas Council of Governments
TCRP Transit Cooperative Research Program
The T Fort Worth Transit Service
TOD Transit Oriented Development
TRE Trinity Railway Express
TX DoT Texas Department of Transportation

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Introduction
Transportation plays a significant role in the quality of urban and suburban living. Increasing
congestion, faceless sprawl, disconnected land uses are the primary reasons that cities have
been searching for alternative measures to curtail the declining quality of life. Transit plays a
major role in connecting neighborhoods, as is exemplified in cities across the world having
higher densities and mixed land use. Transit in American cities has been faced with tough
challenges posed by sprawl and increasing automobile dependence. It has often been said that
the transit-land use planning techniques that have been adopted in Toronto, Vancouver,
Bogota or Curitiba will not work in U.S, but there has been a change over the past decade
where the cities are trying to ensure that transit it used to its full potential in shaping the urban
form and growth (TCRP, 1996). Light rail technology has been the most effective mode of
transit in the North American cities while its South American counterparts have focused on
bus based systems. This paper examines policies of DART and initiatives along the light rail
corridors and around the transit stations.

Methodology
The study will focus on Traffic Analysis Zones along the DART present and future corridors
looking into the trends in land use patterns from 1995 to 2005 and the percentage of land
utilization in the catchment area of the corridor. The catchment area for the rail lines has been
defined by a 500 meter buffer and the traffic analysis zones that fall along it. In addition the
land utilization around stations has also been taken into account. Traffic Analysis Zones are a
smaller unit to blocks and census tracts and preferred for conducting transportation studies and
corridor analysis. The zone boundaries clearly help in defining the adjoining land uses within
walk able distance.

Data
The required data for the analysis consisted of Shape files for the Traffic Analysis Zones, 1995
and 2005 Land uses. The files were downloaded from the GIS department of the North Central
Texas Council of Government (www.nctcog.com); for the City of Dallas. The corridors of
DART light rail system were plotted on the map along with the major stations: Mockingbird,
Downtown Plano and Cedar; based on the 2030 Transit System Plan report of DART. The
land use codes were downloaded from the Metadata link to the GIS files from the website.
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Table 1: Land Use Categories And Codes (1995 and 2005)

CATEGORY LAND USE LAND USE CODE
Residential Single family 111
Multi-family 112
Mobile Home 113
Commercial Office 121
Retail 122
Hotel/Motel 124
Government/Education Institutional 123
Group Quarters 114
Industrial Industrial 131
Infrastructure Transportation 141
Roadway 142
Utilities 143
Airports Airports 144
Undeveloped Vacant 300
Parking 306
Under Construction 173
Water Water 500
Dedicated Parks 171
Landfill 172
Flood Control 181
Source: NCTCOG

Map 1: Traffic Analysis Zones Map 2: City of Dallas: 2005 Land Use Map

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Land Use Calculations

GIS was used as a tool to incorporate the land uses from 1995 and 2005 within the 500 meter
buffer and traffic analysis zone, thereby computing the percentage of area for each
classification.

The same method has been used to

calculate the land use composition
around the three major stations
where TOD principles have been
adopted and in particularly compare
the changes over a period of ten
years around the mockingbird
station.

Functions Used
Some of the major functions used for
analysis comprised of:
Buffers
Clipping
Select by Attribute
Select by Feature
Field Calculator
Table Joins
Projected Coordinate System: NAD83
Texas State Planes, North Central Zone,
US Foot Map 3: DART Corridor Catchment Area
Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic

Success and Limitations of TOD

Transit oriented development (TOD) has become the dominant urban growth planning
paradigm in the United States. Various studies have been conducted comparing trip rates and
mode choice with densities, neighborhood context and street patterns with transit access and
the like. Although there have been numerous examples of developments based on the concept,
limited studies indicate the environmental and social benefits commensurate with the costs of
the transportation system (Niles and Nelson, 1999). TOD on the other hand has immense
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potential to connect low and moderate income people with job opportunities. This though
requires a close coordination between the developers, officials and community groups (Grady
and Leroy, 2006). According to Bernick and Cervero (1997), referring to the concept as ‘transit
villages’; it is an environment conducive to walking and transit. From a transportation
perspective, the value of TOD’s is predicated on the assumption that it generates shorter trips,
less traffic, higher transit rates, and a balance between jobs and housing. Results from the
studies cannot be compared as the base unit of comparison is different. Instead key indicators
need to be understood and weighed to measure the success of the neo traditional and transit
oriented development. The benefits of such developments differ at a local as well as a regional
context; station area and along corridors.

Table 2: TOD Indicators

Indicator
Centrally Located Transit
Pedestrian Priority
High Quality Transit
Density and Mix of Uses
Desired Characteristics
Edge of Development being a 5 to ten minute walking distance
(varying from 0.25 to 0.5 miles)
Block perimeter lengths to not exceed 0.25 miles, building
orientation to pathways, easy street crossings and minimal traffic
signal cycle lengths
Preferred frequency of service ( 5 to 8 minutes or less) during peak
periods and a maximum of 15 mins during off peak periods
Self Sufficient community mixing residences with offices,
entertainment, retail units; High Residential Density (12 to 30
acres per unit), employment density of 50 jobs per acre (Cervero et
al., 2004)

Parking Management Increased Parking Costs, Minimum provisions; Structured of

underground parking
Housing Types Supportive for low and middle income category of people;
affordable; diverse options
Other Transit Supportive Passes and other Travel Demand Management Policies
Measures
Source: TCRP Report 95, 2007

Background to DART
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) was created in 1983 by a majority of voters in 14 cities.
Prior to its operation, the Dallas Transit Service (DTS) was run by the City of Dallas from 1964
to 1988. Presently, the service area consists of 13 member cities namely; Addison, Carrollton,
Cockrell Hill, Dallas, Farmers Branch, Garland, Glenn Heights, Highland Park, Irving, Plano,
Richardson, Rowlett and University Park; thereby servicing an area of 700 square miles and 3.1
million people. DART has been efficient in promoting transit through an efficient network of
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Light Rail, Bus and Commuter Rail. The extensive Fig 1: Dallas City Classification
network of DART Rail, Trinity Railway Express
(TRE) and bus services carries more than 200,000
passengers per day across our 700 - square-mile
service area. DART also assists in the operation of
the M-line Streetcar, with a joint operating subsidy
given to the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
along with the Uptown Improvement District.
DART projects are included in the COG’s Regional
Metropolitan Transportation Plan to eligible for
regional, state and federal funding. A
comprehensive transit plan was developed in 1995
Source: Carrolton City Council
for a period of 15 years which was later updated.
The 2030 plan envisions a wider service area and better connectivity along with land use and
economic development strategies. DART through its mission of building, establishing and
operating a safe, efficient and effective transportation system by providing mobility, improving
the quality of life and stimulating economic development; has made long range plans entitling
key initiatives and proposals for the road ahead.
Policies
The 2030 Transit System Plan prepared by DART is in recognition of its changing role. DART
has outlined a number of policies towards the expansion of its service area and systems. The
policies enlisted in the plan work in coordination with several other plans such as the DART
Service, Strategic, Business, Twenty-Year Financial, Five Year Action Plans, Short Mid-Range
plans, member city comprehensive plans as well as the NCTCOG Regional Metropolitan
Transportation Plan. The main focus of the plan has been towards the Downtown, Airport
Access, North and South Corridors while promoting transit oriented development around
stations. The major policies have been enlisted in the table below. The policies provide
evidence that DART’s missions have been focused on enhancing mobility as well as improving
the quality of life and creating better opportunities for economic development. Transit,
particularly Light Rail has been effective in land use development and creating sustainable
communities across the cities in the nation; and hence the same has been adopted in the Dallas-
Fort worth Metroplex.
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Table 3: Policies and Strategies of Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Sl. No Policies and Strategies
1 Identify future market needs and new market opportunities
2 Provide a system that attracts single occupant vehicle users while serving transit
dependent customers
3 Provide an integrated system with appropriate level of capacity, accessibility and
performance to meet customer needs
4 Consider opportunities to preserve right of way options for future transit use
5 Provide an efficient, cost-effective and affordable system
6 Promote a region that is transit-oriented and places priority on transit
7 Support transportation and land use planning that helps achieving a better quality
of life in North Texas region
8 Provide a system that is compatible with the community and minimizes
environmental impacts
9 Encourage initiatives to invest at or near transit facilities
10 Establish a common vision, regionally accepted for transportation
11 Develop and enhance coalitions with all organizations
12 Develop a system plan that provides a sound basis for subsequent planning studies
Source: DART 2030 Transit System Plan

Transit Oriented Development Initiatives

The Bus Service operated by DART feeds on to the Light Rail System; and hence active part
has been taken towards facilitating developments adjoining stations, on DART owned property.
One of the first development proposals facilitated on DART property is to redevelop surface
parking lots at the Mockingbird Station into a higher density, mixed use development which
serves as an incentive for DART Park and Ride customers. Other significant developments have
occurred at South Side on Lamar at Cedar Station, Downtown Plano and Galatyn Park. These
projects having received national recognition, have paved the way for member cities such as
Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Irving, Addison and Rowlett to start planning for transit oriented
development in advance. As per a study released in 2005 (Weinstein and Clover), nearly 3.3 billion
dollars in private funds have been invested by developers at stations along the DART’s 45 mile
light rail system serving Dallas, Garland, Richardson and Plano. Characteristics of a few major
projects around the stations have been provided using the TOD indicators in the latter part of
this paper.

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Map 4: Land Use along DART Corridor Catchment Area (1995)

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Map 5: Land Use along DART Corridor Catchment Area (2005)

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0.4
0.9 Airports
15.7 14.8 Commercial
Dedicated
7.2 Government/Educational
Industrial
Infrastructure
4.9 Residential
30.3 Undeveloped
17.7 Water
8.0

Fig 2: 1995 Land Use Breakup adjoining the corridor

1.1 1.4
Airports
14.8 14.9
Commercial
Dedicated
7.5
Government/Educational
Industrial
Infrastructure
7.5 Residential
30.3
Undeveloped
18.4 Water
4.0

Fig 3: 2005 Land Use Breakup adjoining the corridor

The studies do not indicate significant change in the land use adjoining the corridor over a ten
year span as the influence of DART was seen only after 2001. Developments have taken place
only within quarter mile walking distance of the station. Nearly 15 percent of the land along the
corridor is undeveloped. Over period of time it is more likely that industrial uses will reduce
along the transit corridors giving way to commercial and infrastructure. The overall density of
the uses along the transit lines are bound to increase.
Transit Oriented Development has triggered also property value increase around the Station
Areas. Between 1997 and 2001, value of office properties near the suburban rail stations have
increased by 53 percent when compared to other areas of the city not serviced by rail line. The
value of residential properties in the same period has increased by nearly 40 percent. Sales tax
has been the major revenue source of DART and the resulting local tax revenue from the
TOD’s have been of the order of 78 million. Downtown Dallas has seen investments worth
800 million dollars since the advent of the first light rail line in 1996 around Pearl, St. Paul,
West End and Victory Station (Urban Core as referred to in the Figure). Significant changes are

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also noted in the first tier suburbs (refer figure), especially around the stations of Cedar, Plano,
Galatyn Park and Mockingbird. Mockingbird Station is the first true ‘transit village’ of Dallas. It
focuses around the renovation of a warehouse and office that fronts on the Mockingbird Lane
and North Central Expressway. It has been converted into retail and 211 loft apartments, with
additional mixed-use development including a movie theatre complex, restaurants, office space.
It kicked off a new wave development in the surrounding area; results of which are seen
through the 500 unit apartment complex (The Phoenix) on a site which was formerly
Dr.Pepper Bottling Company.

Fig 4: Mockingbird Station Fig 5: Parking Structure and Retail

Map 6: LU around Mockingbird (1995) Map 7: LU around Mockingbird (2005)

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0.4 0.2
3.9 3.5

Infrastructure
Residential
51.1 Commercial

41.0 Industrial
Government/Educational
Undeveloped

Fig 6: Land Use Composition - 1995

12.4

39.7 Commercial
Government/Educational
Industrial
32.9 Infrastructure
Residential
Undeveloped

2.5
0.5 12.0
Fig 7: Land Use Composition - 2005
Over a period of ten years, the land use has changed drastically within a quarter mile walking
distance from the station. Commercial development has grown by nearly ten times while
significant growth is observed in industrial uses as well. The station precinct has served as
mixed land use and the percentage of use for residential purposes though, have diminished; the
densities have increased. Similar trends are observed around the other two stations as well. The
Cedar Station witnessed and is continuing to witness a dramatic turn around of investments; with
the conversion of the historic Sears, Roebuck and Co warehouse into the South Side Lamar
apartments consisting of 455 loft apartments. New Developments are taking place in adjoining
sites such as ‘The Beat’ condominiums; encasing a number of other activities such as exhibition
center, ballroom and jazz café.

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Fig 8: ‘The Beat’ Fig 9: ‘South Side’

The Eastside village near Downtown Plano Station and city’s historic downtown was planned and
built before the light rail station opened. The complex features 225 loft apartments above a
ground floor retail complex of neighborhood services and offices. It has been developed
through the collaboration of the City of Plano and the developer. Other neighboring
developments include a four building complex of 34 townhouses and 90 condominium units;
and a 110 unit townhouse development.

Fig 10: East Side Village (Aerial View) Fig 11: Apartments

TOD also continues to grow in areas such as Addison, in anticipation of future east-west rail
services and thereby reflect the importance of DART’s strategies in locating bus transit centers
which have instigated the mixed use development. The Addison Circle Development is an
exemplary form of TOD impact; having received Celebrating Leadership in Development
Excellence (CLIDE) Awards at the North Central Texas Council of Governments General
Assembly. The city is landlocked and about 80 percent build-out, one of the few remaining sites
is ideally suited for a higher density, mixed use project. The project is a radical concept for a

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city dominated by conventional suburban development. The project contains almost 3,000
dwelling units (mostly rentals), intermixed with neighborhood retail, ten acres of public parks,
and civic space, as well as 1 million square feet of office space. It is an example where the City
approached the land owner, Gaylord Properties, and encouraged the development of a mixed
use town center on the 80-acre parcel.

Fig 12: Under Construction Fig 13: Mixed Use Development

Fig 14: View of Streets and Adjoining Development

Conclusion: Future of TOD’s in Dallas

The future of Transit Oriented development lies in the joint efforts between the City,
NCTCOG, DART as well as the developers. Presently the support from the City of Dallas has
been reduced to land use zoning around stations and promoting development strategies in
Downtown. DART’s strategies look to drive the City into taking positive steps towards Transit
Oriented Development. Irrespective of the steps by individual agencies, the market forces will
dominate the success of such projects. The Dallas metroplex has continued to sprawl and
congestion worsen. On the positive side; Developers and Cities of Addison, Plano, and
Richardson have recognized the advantages of good rail access, place making and walk able
communities. The real estate market also has been supportive of the ideas. The appreciations of

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residential properties are on the higher side in comparison to the retail properties. TOD
planning is underway taking into account DART’s extensions slated to reach Irving, Carrollton,
and Farmers branch from 2008 to 2010. Major and Recognized developers have made the
difference as seen at Mockingbird station, Addison Circle, Plano and Cedar. The markets for
TOD is emerging and have better prospects with cities taking a dominant position and role to
complement the real estate markets. Creating affordable markets is of primary concern while
trying to meet the demands.

Further research can be conducted through GIS in estimating the population densities in the
land uses and project them to 2030. This study has been undertaken to understand the market
for transit oriented development along the DART light rail corridors and around the stations
which have been developed into ‘Transit Villages’.

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Bibliography
Bernick, M and Cervero, R. Transit Villages for the 21st Century, New York: McGraw-
Hill, 1997
Carrollton City Council Workshop, The Haves and the Have Less: Changing Markets in
Our First Tier Suburbs, February 2007
Cervero, R. Light Rail Transit and Urban Development, Journal of the American Planning
Association, Vol. 50, No. 2 (1984): p133 – 147
Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Transit Oriented Development, Accessed at
http://www.dart.org/about/economicimpact.asp on 15 November 2007
Dallas Area Rapid Transit, History and Member Cities, Accessed at
http://www.dart.org/about/history.asp on 19 November 2007
Grady, S and LeRoy, G. Making the Connection: Transit Oriented Development and Jobs;
Good Jobs First, March 2006
Niles, J and Nelson, D. Measuring the Success of Transit Oriented Development: Retail Market
Dynamics and Other Key Determinants; American Planning Association, National Planning
Conference, Seattle, Washington, 1999
North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), Accessed at
www.nctcog.com on 2nd December 2007
Renne, J. Thirty years of trends in Transit Oriented Development across America
Richardson, H and Gordon, P. Sustainable Portland? A critique, and the Los Angeles
counterpoint; ACSP Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, November 2001
Ridlington, E and Kellett, G. (2003). Rail Transit Works: Light Rail Success Stories
from Across the Country; Mary PIRG Foundation.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (2007), “Transit-Oriented Development in the
United States: Experiences, Challenges, and Prospects.” TCRP, Research Results Digest Number
102. Washington D.C., Transportation Research Board, National Research Council
2030 Transit System Plan, October 2006, Dallas Area Rapid Transit System
2030 Transit System Plan, Mobility Needs Assessment Report, June 2004
Weinstein, B and Clower, T. The Estimated Value of New Investment Adjacent To Dart
LRT Stations: 1999-2005, September 2005

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