Transit Oriented Development Studies 

The Construction Authority has been a strong proponent of cities planning for transit oriented developments (TOD) around each of the line’s light rail stations. Over the last 10 years, the agency has sponsored an extensive outreach and education program that has had dramatic results. Every community along the light rail line’s right of way has re-examined land use around their station area and invested in General Plan updates, Specific Plan updates, or other land use regulation efforts that reflect the impact of light rail access on the corridor’s traditional development patterns. 

Over the past decade, the Construction Authority has sponsored several studies of TOD that has spurred the discussion of TOD opportunities along the Gold Line corridor. The first study, completed in 2007, was designed to familiarize elected officials and city staff about the potential for TOD in each of the Foothill communities. The second, completed in 2012, measured the potential market support for TOD development at each of the station areas from Arcadia to Montclair and created interactive software to help each community realize a three-dimensional “fly through” of its proposed density and mix of uses around the station. This effort was designed to take the principles established in the 2007 Study and create context through the market study and an interactive tool for use as cities created a TOD vision and implemented Specific Plans.

The most recent TOD study, completed in 2016, measured the progress of TOD implementation since the first segment of the line opened for passenger service in 2003. Measures of the 2016 Study included: (1) planning efforts undertaken to encourage TOD uses within a half-mile radius of the station sites; (2) existing development and investment in place since 2003 within a half-mile radius of the station sites; (3) planned and proposed development within half a mile of a station sites, reflecting current developer interest in transit areas; (4) fiscal and economic impacts of development to date, including one-time and on-going impacts; and lastly, (5) potential economic and fiscal impact of future TOD development potential in the corridor from Arcadia to Montclair.

2016 Study Results – TOD Outcomes within a Half-Mile Radius of a Gold Line Station:

In the 2016 Study Report by real estate and business consulting firm, The Maxima Group, findings revealed that more than 12,500 housing units, 3.6 million square feet of commercial space, and 1,400 hotel rooms have been built within a half-mile radius of one of the 18 Gold Line stations from Chinatown to Montclair since 2003. This has resulted in $6.7 billion in private investment and the creation of nearly 50,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction, 20,000 on-going jobs, and $50 million in annual tax revenues to the county.

Additionally, the report also reviewed the potential TOD that could take place along the Phase 2 corridor from Arcadia to Montclair looking forward. Full buildout of the potential TOD could add 17,000 more housing units, 10 million additional square feet of commercial space, and 250 more hotel rooms to this transportation corridor in the future; generating $100 million more in annual tax revenue for Los Angeles County and creating tens of thousands of temporary jobs during construction and tens of thousands of permanent, on-going jobs from operations within the developments.

  • To read the 2016 TOD Study Report, by The Maxima Group, click here (file size approx. 12 MB).

A separate 2016 report conducted by economic research firm Beacon Economics focused on the growth that has taken place within a half-mile radius of the six Gold Line stations in the city of Pasadena alone. The Beacon Economic report concluded that $3.3 billion in economic output, roughly 20,700 jobs, $1.1 billion in labor income, and $66.3 million in tax revenue has been generated since 2003. Additionally, businesses operating at these TOD properties support nearly 11,200 jobs and generate $1.2 billion in economic output and $707 million in labor income.

  • To read the full report by Beacon Economics, click here (file size approx. 1 MB).