Q: what is a tod?

A: Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is a form of city planning focused on reducing dependency on cars as the sole mode of transportation, creating vibrant communities through the creation of mixed-use developments, pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure, and public transportation options.

Q: Why does the South Virginia Corridor need a TOD Study?

Study Needed:

• Lack of existing transit service along the corridor and south Reno.
• Support regional growth plans such as the Reimagine Reno Master Plan, Truckee Meadows Regional Plan, and RTC’s Regional Transportation Plan.
• Determine feasibility of extending the existing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line south of Meadowood Mall.
• Address safety concerns for all users.

Study Needed:

• Support next generation transit service in the corridor and surrounding areas.
• Accommodate regional growth plans with sustainable well-connected development.
• Improve access to employment and other opportunities for all modes of travel. Improve access with multimodal infrastructure and increase safety for all modes of travel.
• Encourage new housing and redevelopment opportunities through supportive transit and land use practices.

Q: will the study change the kinds of development that will happen along the corridor?

A: The corridor has an existing zoning of Mixed-Use Suburban (MS) in the City of Reno, which allows for TOD-type development today. While the SVTOD Study will not change the current zoning, the Study does identify transit focus areas where more compact development may be appropriate. These areas provide opportunity for public/private partnerships and could be leveraged with land use tools to help incentivize future TOD development to support the expansion of transit within the corridor.

Q: how do the tod study principles support regional growth plans?

• WALK/CYCLE – RTC Regional Transportation Plan 2050: Support development that promotes walking and nonmotorized transportation networks.
• CONNECT – Reimagine Reno: Incorporate transit stops and other multimodal facilities in community neighborhood centers where regular transit service is planned. TRANSIT – RTC 2050 Transit Vision: Locate transit and encourage development near high-quality public transit.
• MIX – Reimagine Reno: Suburban Mixed Use – provides an opportunity for a broad mix of uses while also preserving opportunities for high-density infill and redevelopment. DENSIFY – Truckee Meadows Regional Plan: South Virginia Street is identified as a Tier 1 Area – Moderate to High Density development is expected.
• COMPACT – Reimagine Reno: Suburban Corridor –encourages nodes of higher intensity transit supportive development at hubs and major intersections.
• SHIFT – NDOT Safety Management Plan (SMP): proposing future improvements along a portion of the corridor that focus on traffic safety for all users.

Q: what is the difference between ndot’s virginia st. smp and rtc’s svtod study? are the two studies covering the same area?

A: Not entirely. While there is overlap, the RTC’s SVTOD Study area is along S. Virginia St from the Meadowood Mall Transfer Station to the Summit Mall, portions of Damonte Ranch Pkwy, and Mt. Rose Hwy. including properties located within ½-mile area. The NDOT SMP focuses only on the S. Virginia St. right-of-way, which is owned and maintained by NDOT, from Patriot Blvd. to Mt. Rose Hwy.