Trans Link Integrated Adjacent Development
Trans Link - A Smart Cities Partner
Adjacent and Integrated Developments (AID)
Trans Link plans, finances, implements and operates an integrated transportation system, with responsibility for major regional roads as well as public transit in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland of British Columbia and beyond. Because of Vancouver’s diverse geography surrounding the city by mountains on the north, ocean to the west, a vast river system to the east and the US border to the south, implementing an effective transportation system has included buses, ferries, the skytrain network, integrated roads and growing services including bicycles and electric vehicles.
Integrated Development Success Factors
Destinations, Distance, Design, Density, Diversity & Demand Management
This positive “transportation and land use feedback loop” is key to creating communities that are more livable, resilient and sustainable.
Destinations, Distance, Design, Density, Diversity & Demand Management
This positive “transportation and land use feedback loop” is key to creating communities that are more livable, resilient and sustainable.
Adjacent and Integrated Developments (AID)
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Land use mix describes the degree to which different types of land uses (e.g., residential, commercial, institutional, light industrial, entertainment) are located within close proximity to one another. A higher degree of mixing of compatible land uses increases the likelihood that a desired destination is nearby in the neighbourhood making it easier for people to access it by walking or cycling. In such neighbourhoods, multiple errands can be accomplished on foot on the way to transit, over the lunch hour, or on the way home from work. A rich mix of pedestrian-friendly uses also facilitates more street-level activity throughout the day and evening resulting in greater personal security from the natural surveillance of “eyes on the street.â€
 Land use diversity is also important at the corridor scale. With a rich variety of destinations accessible from stops and stations all along the corridor, transit vehicles are less apt to be crowded in one direction and running empty in the other direction. This corridor-level land use diversity leads to a more balanced bidirectional flow of riders in each direction helping to optimize existing transit capacity and justify better service.
Many land uses generate demand for transit service only at specific times of the day, week, or year. It is important, therefore, to have a good mix of land uses, at the appropriate scale, that generate demand not only in the peak periods, but also in the mid-day, evenings, and weekends across the year. Land uses that generate trips in these off-peak times include retail, service, residential, entertainment, as well as visitor attractions. Some uses, like colleges and universities, may produce high levels of transit demand throughout most of the year but this demand tends to decline during the summer months. As with land use diversity, demographic diversity also improves transit performance.
For example, neighbourhoods with lower-income residents tend to have higher demand for transit since lower-incomes are correlated with higher transit use. Neighbourhoods with housing that is typically occupied by seniors or students tend to have higher mid-day, evening and weekend demand, justifying improved off-peak service. Ultimately, this demographic diversity can be facilitated through decisions to include a wide range of housing types, tenures, and price points in close proximity to frequent transit stops and stations. Special efforts should be made to accommodate seniors, students, and lower-income residents adjacent to frequent transit.
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Land use mix describes the degree to which different types of land uses (e.g., residential, commercial, institutional, light industrial, entertainment) are located within close proximity to one another. A higher degree of mixing of compatible land uses increases the likelihood that a desired destination is nearby in the neighbourhood making it easier for people to access it by walking or cycling. In such neighbourhoods, multiple errands can be accomplished on foot on the way to transit, over the lunch hour, or on the way home from work. A rich mix of pedestrian-friendly uses also facilitates more street-level activity throughout the day and evening resulting in greater personal security from the natural surveillance of “eyes on the street.â€
 Land use diversity is also important at the corridor scale. With a rich variety of destinations accessible from stops and stations all along the corridor, transit vehicles are less apt to be crowded in one direction and running empty in the other direction. This corridor-level land use diversity leads to a more balanced bidirectional flow of riders in each direction helping to optimize existing transit capacity and justify better service.
Many land uses generate demand for transit service only at specific times of the day, week, or year. It is important, therefore, to have a good mix of land uses, at the appropriate scale, that generate demand not only in the peak periods, but also in the mid-day, evenings, and weekends across the year. Land uses that generate trips in these off-peak times include retail, service, residential, entertainment, as well as visitor attractions. Some uses, like colleges and universities, may produce high levels of transit demand throughout most of the year but this demand tends to decline during the summer months. As with land use diversity, demographic diversity also improves transit performance.
For example, neighbourhoods with lower-income residents tend to have higher demand for transit since lower-incomes are correlated with higher transit use. Neighbourhoods with housing that is typically occupied by seniors or students tend to have higher mid-day, evening and weekend demand, justifying improved off-peak service. Ultimately, this demographic diversity can be facilitated through decisions to include a wide range of housing types, tenures, and price points in close proximity to frequent transit stops and stations. Special efforts should be made to accommodate seniors, students, and lower-income residents adjacent to frequent transit.
Global organizations that have recognized Vancouver, Toronto, and Surrey as Smart Cities. Trans Link is a recognized leader in the area of integrated adjacent development strengthening Canada position as an innovator in green and digital technologies resulting in a world leader in smart solutions.