Equitable Transit-Oriented Development
Equitable Transit-Oriented Development
Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in Austin’s progress toward equitable transit-oriented development, or ETOD. On this page, you'll find:
- A quick introduction to equitable transit-oriented development
- Information about the station area planning process in Austin
- The Planning Department’s ETOD Policy Plan (see the Spanish version) accepted by Council by resolution
- Frequently Asked Questions (see the Spanish version) about this project
- Some key dates of past City actions and future opportunities to get involved!
What is ETOD?
Transit-oriented development, or TOD, refers to the development of transit stops within walking distance of clusters of different types of places, such as housing, shops, and offices.
Equitable transit-oriented development, or ETOD, acknowledges that not everyone has benefitted equally from traditional TOD planning.
By engaging with community in more meaningful ways and in all phases of the planning process, ETOD seeks to undo harmful planning practices and build communities in which all are safe, supported, and have the resources to thrive.
The City of Austin is working in partnership with Capital Metro (Austin's transit authority), the Austin Transit Partnership, and the community to support equitable transit-oriented development as the Project Connect transit system is built. Learn more about the multi-agency ETOD effort on the Project Connect ETOD website.
The Station Area Planning Process
Capital Metro, in partnership with the City of Austin's Planning Department, is beginning Station Area Planning, which is the first step in making ETOD a reality. Station Area Planning is a community-driven approach to planning for areas around a bus or train station to make sure people can easily, safely, and comfortably access a station. It’s also planning for the vision of the neighborhoods around the station area to ensure that the station area meets the needs of current and future community members with options for housing, jobs, services, and more. The process began with a series of workshops with community members focused near the North Lamar and South Congress Transit Centers and will resume in the fall.
Visit the Project Connect ETOD website to watch recordings of those workshops, or learn more about the Station Area Planning process.
ETOD in the Policy Plan
The ETOD Policy Plan is a set of guidelines to help the Austin community equitably put transit-oriented development in place. These guidelines seek to support residents of all incomes and backgrounds, especially those who have been hurt by transportation and planning decisions.
The ETOD Policy Plan was created by the City of Austin's Planning Department, along with partners at CapMetro, the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), and the community. Together, staff and the public drafted the goals for ETOD in Austin, the tools that can help us reach those goals, and the actions we must take to make equity possible in the transit system and the neighborhoods around it.
The ETOD Policy Plan was accepted by City Council by resolution at their meeting on March 9, 2023. For more information about what happened at this meeting, or at other public meetings, please see the Key Dates section. To learn more about how community engagement informed the ETOD Policy Plan, check out the Engagement Updates.