An alternative assessment for transit-oriented developments (TODs) with land use/land cover (LULC)

Area of Science:

• Urban Planning and Development
• Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Rapid urbanization presents challenges in land use and transportation, particularly in developing countries.
• Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) offer a potential solution, but definitions and identification methods lack consensus.
• Understanding the relationship between land use/land cover (LULC) and TODs is crucial for sustainable urban planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) changes influenced by transit-oriented developments (TODs).
• To identify and characterize TODs using light rail stations in a Turkish metropolitan area.
• To provide insights into TOD patterns in a region where such studies are novel.

Main Methods:

• Utilized high-resolution Sentinel 2A satellite imagery and Google Earth data from 2021.
• Conducted spatial analysis within a 500-meter buffer zone around light rail transit stations.
• Examined land use/land cover (LULC) patterns to identify characteristics of TODs.

Main Results:

• TODs exhibited expected characteristics, including increased urbanization and open spaces.
• Analysis revealed greater street connectivity and a higher concentration of commercial activities within TODs.
• Results indicated a denser population distribution in areas identified as TODs.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully identified and characterized TODs based on LULC dynamics around light rail stations.
• Findings confirm that TODs integrate urbanized areas, open spaces, commercial activities, and dense populations.
• Collaboration between local officials, practitioners, and developers is essential for effective TOD implementation and policy.