Transit Oriented Communities

Overview

Transit Oriented Communities (TOCs) shape the Southeastern Pennsylvania region.  SEPTA has inherited rich transit assets and the settlement patterns that grew around 19th and 20th century train, trolley and bus services. These communities are vibrant, welcoming places that support a density of housing, retail, office, entertainment and community services within easy walking distance of transit services.

SEPTA has established a Transit Oriented Communities program that supports the communities we serve as a part of its efforts to deliver a seamless lifestyle transit network. Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) supports complementary land use, zoning, development and multi-modal access to SEPTA’s services.

SEPTA’s TOC Program encourages equitable and sustainable community development around our services allowing more people to live and work near high-quality transit. This includes both around stations and along high-frequency surface transit corridors. This program will support SEPTA’s efforts to implement its Strategic Plan, SEPTA Forward, and aligns with the Authority’s vision of transit at the core of our region.

Vision and Goals

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Foster people-first Communities

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Increase mobility through seamless transit, walking and micromobility trips

Create economic opportunity by allowing more people to live and work near transit

Features

As a major driver of the regional economy, SEPTA recognizes that our own inventory of real estate assets, as well as adjacent properties, can be leveraged by working in partnership with the communities it serves. TOC provides a larger umbrella than a traditional transit-oriented development (TOD) program with a people-first approach that includes smart growth advocacy, builder coordination, station area and transit corridor planning, multi-modal access and station design in addition to property development.

SEPTA has created Transit Oriented Community Guidelines that establish program goals, identify community-complimentary land use, zoning and development TOC strategies and create illustrated station and corridor typologies. The Guidelines also contain a clear implementation framework.

SEPTA is also pursuing pilot joint development projects for select SEPTA properties. Station Area Concepts align community vision with SEPTA’s Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) goals to create a plan for redevelopment of transit authority property.

Features

As a major driver of the regional economy, SEPTA recognizes that our own inventory of real estate assets, as well as adjacent properties, can be leveraged by working in partnership with the communities it serves. TOC provides a larger umbrella than a traditional transit-oriented development (TOD) program with a people-first approach that includes smart growth advocacy, builder coordination, station area and transit corridor planning, multi-modal access and station design in addition to property development.

SEPTA has created Transit Oriented Community Guidelines that establish program goals, identify community-complimentary land use, zoning and development TOC strategies and create illustrated station and corridor typologies. The Guidelines also contain a clear implementation framework.

SEPTA is also pursuing pilot joint development projects for select SEPTA properties. Station Area Concepts align community vision with SEPTA’s Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) goals to create a plan for redevelopment of transit authority property.

PLAN & COORDINATE

Transit Supportive Community Development Planning Near Stations: SEPTA’s Strategic Planning & Analysis group will support your planning processes, including stakeholder participation, requests for data and coordinating technical review with various SEPTA departments. Contact Planning.

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BUILD & ACCESS

Develop Adjacent to SEPTA Property: If you are building adjacent to SEPTA property or rail, you must coordinate with us so that we may keep each other safe. Please review our Right of Entry program. Ask a question.

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LEASE & PARTNER

Develop on SEPTA-owned Property: Thank you for your interest in leasing on SEPTA property. Please contact Ken Starr, Manager of Joint Real Estate Development. Contact Real Estate.

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QUALITY TRANSIT & ACCESS

Convenient Bus Access for New Development: SEPTA’s Strategic Planning & Analysis group will support your planning processes, including stakeholder participation, requests for data and coordinating technical review with various SEPTA departments. Download checklist.

Past Events

Project Updates

ProjectStatus
Transit Oriented Communities GuidelinesComplete
Ambler StationSolicitation
Conshohocken StationSolicitation

Building a Lifestyle Transit Network

As part of our 12-year capital investment program, we’re making stations accessible, acquiring new vehicles, investing in communications and upgrading services for our buses, Metro and rail to deliver on our vision of easy to use, frequent and integrated transit.

Learn More