As we plan and design for communities around the world, public transportation increasingly emerges as the enabler of sustainable urban growth. City populations around the world continue to rise. Over half of the world—more than 4 billion people—live in urban settings, and this number is increasing. By 2050, nearly 7 out of 10 people will live in cities.

Creating livable and quality urban areas requires a fresh and forward-thinking approach to shaping communities.  This is no small task as socio-economic issues and environmental challenges intensified by climate change continue to impact decision-making.

Looking toward the future, inclusive growth will figure prominently in planning and design. An essential step in this process is making places reachable and usable for everyone. When considering the drivers of this goal in the broader context of environmental priorities, public transport immediately comes to mind due to its inherent potential to connect communities and accelerate decarbonization. While public transport infrastructure continues to expand globally, communities will benefit from a faster pace of implementation and targeted funding to modernize systems and maintain operations. Transport systems, including the areas around stations, have untapped potential to drive sustainable growth.

This is where transit-oriented development (TOD)—increasingly transit-oriented community (TOC)—can play a vital role. By integrating land use and transport, TOD/TOC provides the means to implement accessible and connected mobility options, leading to reduced congestion, better air quality, greater connectivity within and between communities, job opportunities, improved public health, resilience to climate change impacts, and thriving neighbourhoods. We are delighted to share our evolving understanding of transit-oriented development and projects notable for shaping great places, connected communities and sustainable cities around the world.