Presentation

APA Showcase Program

The Bloustein School studio team, in partnership with the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA), developed transit-oriented community (TOC) guidelines specific to the City of New Orleans, Louisiana. The guidelines serve as a framework for encouraging future transit-oriented communities in New Orleans by promoting greater transit ridership and mixed-use development around stations. In developing these guidelines, the studio team produced TOC typologies applied to existing stations, comparable examples of TOC in other cities, and a TOC implementation plan. Establishing TOC typologies was essential for understanding how areas around transit stations exist today, and how they can become TOCs in the future. To define these typologies, the studio team utilized a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. The studio team developed a TOC index based on factors critical to TOC and then met with various stakeholders to gain local knowledge on existing challenges and opportunities in New Orleans. This methodology led to the establishment of typologies driven by data and local knowledge. In order to achieve the vision for each typology, the studio team then devised recommendations organized into three categories: transportation, land use, and design.

“Collaborating with the Bloustein students to develop Transit Oriented Community Guidelines for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority continues to be one of the most rewarding efforts undertaken in 2019. The students were diligent, insightful, and professional. The work product we received in 12 weeks would have taken a consultant months to complete. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Bloustein.”

– Adelee Marie Le Grand, AICP | Vice President Transdev | Chief Strategy Officer in Service to New Orleans Regional Transit Authority