5 Case Studies of Transit -Oriented <br />Development linked to Bus Rapid Transit <br />This section provides case studies from other similar communities that have implemented BRT <br />along with an intentional set of policies, regulatory reforms, and/or investments to support <br />transit -oriented development (TOD). The purpose of these case studies is to provide insights for <br />the City of Eugene in considering how to maximize the value of the BRT investments to catalyze <br />TOD in the River Road corridor. <br />In selecting similar communities, we considered the following criteria: <br />■ Mid-size cities <br />■ Cities with a BRT line, preferably in transit systems that do not include other forms of <br />fixed -guideway transit (e.g. commuter rail or light rail) <br />■ The transit is currently open and operating, allowing an opportunity to observe actual <br />impacts to market conditions <br />■ The land use context for the BRT line is broadly similar to the River Road corridor — a <br />lower -density, suburban arterial <br />■ The city has made a concerted effort to encourage TOD <br />■ The city's efforts and the results of those efforts have been documented <br />Based on those criteria, we identified the Kansas City, Missouri, and Richmond, Virginia as the <br />most appropriate available case studies. While these examples do not align perfectly with <br />conditions in Eugene's River Road, they provide some insights into development outcomes <br />associated with BRT. <br />Troost MAX, Kansas City <br />The Troost Metro Area Express (MAX) is an expansion of <br />the Downtown Main Street MAX Corridor, providing <br />bus rapid transit along Troost Avenue. Since 2011, Troost <br />connects a neighborhood with high transit dependency <br />to over 20 transit routes. Troost has the highest transit <br />ridership in Kansas City. <br />Challenges to TOD Implementation <br />The Corridor's designation as a commercial zone posed a challenge—this zone permitted <br />development inconsistent with TOD, leading to overzoned and overbuilt commercial and retail <br />buildings that became blighted and vacant. This was inconsistent with the City's goal to <br />ECONorthwest 45 <br />218 <br />