New Collaborative Tool for Equitable Transit Oriented Development Launching This May

April 13, 2022 / News

Last year, the City of Chicago adopted a groundbreaking ETOD Policy Implementation Plan with recommendations to use health and equity impact assessments to drive policy making, improve zoning and land use regulations to increase density and reduce parking, and increase bike- and walkability in places served by train and high frequency bus transit. So, how do we make sure policy makers and developers have easy access to data and information to demonstrate the myriad benefits that eTOD can provide? How can residents and advocates come to public hearings armed with the same analysis to hold decision makers accountable? Metropolitan Planning Council and the Center for Neighborhood Technology have teamed up to create an online eTOD Calculator to do just that.

The online eTOD Calculator was developed collaboratively with stakeholder input and combines two tools previously hosted independently by MPC and CNT. The new and improved eTOD Calculator was built specifically with multiple users in mind. Whether you are resident who wants to learn more about eTOD in your neighborhood, or a community organization that would like to design a hypothetical development for a specific parcel, or a local developer who wants take advantage of the incentives available through the TOD ordinance, the online eTOD calculator will be integral in closing information gaps and elevating the potential for new Equitable Transit Oriented Development in Chicago.

In late May, MPC and CNT will host a public launch event for the online eTOD Calculator. The virtual event will include a moderated roundtable discussion with eTOD experts and stakeholders, demonstrations of the new calculator, and opportunities for attendees to ask questions of the team and collaborators.

Please save the date for the launch event on May 24th from 11am-1pm and look for an invite in the near future!