How can you adapt transit-oriented development and design for climate change?

One way to sustain the movement of people who prefer public transport, biking and walking is to identify the competing spaces in the urban environ and providing default infrastructure that incentivises the choice.

In my opinion, enhancing resilience requires taking a whole systems approach that considers social, economic and environmental factors. Transit systems should strive to serve vulnerable populations before, during and after climate shocks through contingency planning. For example, in Lagos the transport authority installed cooling zones on platforms and prioritized bus routes to relief shelters after floods impacted slums. This shows how considering community needs helps building trust that supported transit ridership overcoming challenges.

To made conectivity seamless and TOD succesful we need a strong single authorities to handle land use and transport planning and execution, simple and clear regulation will attract private sector to invest

This would require a massive rejig of urban land use planning and zoning regulations. Redesign and deployment of public parking spaces hitherto dedicated to automobiles can give space to public transport way or stations.

Regions should coordinate plans to direct growth towards resilient hubs with multi-modal access to services. An example is Curitiba, Brazil where the BRT network integrated with pedestrian paths so residents could evacuate during fires while maintaining access to transit. Their safe, connected infrastructure likely reduced emissions by limiting car dependencies during crises. So, there is climate adaptation.

Mixed land use involving coexistence of residential and commercial in the same building could be left to the choice of the residents depending on the extent of current pain and inefficient use of resources. Culture and heritage can take precedence to commerce where the environmental degradation is substantial.

Fostering diversity seems especially important for populations vulnerable to climate impacts. Mixed developments with subsidized housing near services could help lower-income groups at risk of displacement. After extensive flooding in West Germany in 2021, residents of diverse precincts around Cologne could safely evacuate to higher ground and shelter at community centers well-served by public transit.

Density targets must have balanced liveability with environmental priorities for long term support. Transit organizations could incentivize compact developments spearheaded by inclusive community planning processes. When intense cyclones hits Chennai in 2015, dense neighbourhoods like Vadapalani proved more resilient through sustainable design. Designed with sustainability principles in mind, dense apartment blocks surrounded expansive rainwater parks offering higher ground during floods. Those green spaces protected many through the storm and later hosted community groups providing aid. The thoughtfully planned density, integrated greenery and transit access of this TOD area able to pull together after disaster struck.

A blueprint for a desirable living space can be better designed through a process of public consultation. The type of amenities and their density is better left to the process of natural growth subject to basic design principles.

Monitoring and evaluation help to assess performance over time. Also, the emphasis on partnerships and community involvement is important. As professionals, we don't live in these places 24/7 like residents do. So, involving locals ensures we're addressing their real-life experiences. Funding is a hurdle too. It'd be huge if we could incentivize climate adaptations, especially for renters or low-income communities. A little incentive could make a difference as safety shouldn't rely on money alone. There is a need for a collaborative, learning-based approach. If we regularly review what's working and what needs adjusting, TOD planning can stay agile in tackling this complex problem together.