Sunday, July 6, 2014

Sunday July 6, 2014 Greenlight - The Impact of Transit Oriented Redevelopment









If you own a  small business or even a large one you need to take a ride up US19 from Gandy Blvd to Clearwater.


Listen carefully you and will hear the word redevelopment used liberally in the GreenLight presentations. Listen even a bit more carefully and you will hear the phrase “Transit Oriented Redevelopment".

Wikipedia defines it as :“A transit-oriented development (TOD) is a mixed-use residential and commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership. A TOD neighborhood typically has a center with a transit station or stop (train stationmetro stationtram stop, or bus stop), surrounded by relatively high-density development with progressively lower-density development spreading outward from the center. TODs generally are located within a radius of one-quarter to one-half mile (400 to 800 m) from a transit stop, as this is considered to be an appropriate scale for pedestrians, thus solving the last mile problem.”

If you would like to see a current example of transit-oriented redevelopment impact in Pinellas County take a drive up US 19 from Gandy Boulevard to Drew Street in Clearwater.

As you drive look along the side of the new “limited access” highway note the empty, closed and abandon commercial real-estate. 
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Most of us can remember when these were thriving businesses.

What I find most interesting is the support of the Chambers of Commerce from all over the County for a transit plan that will likely cost their members customers; and maybe even their businesses in the future. 

If GreenLight were just a public transportation plan, the light rail component would run from and to areas where the 2% that use public transportation can readily access it.

It is much more than a public transportation plan. It is a major redevelopment plan for Pinellas County backed by one of the most powerful group of relators, financial institutions and special interests ever put together in this county.

Not convinced? Check out their contributors list.

Think before you vote.

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.netOr send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to 
No Tax for Tracks



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