Promoting mixed-use development near transit corridors, mobility hubs, and major transit facilities increases transit accessibility and supports walking, bicycling, and reduced vehicle travel.
Transit-oriented development can significantly reduce VMT by concentrating housing, jobs, and services near high-quality transit. This measure improves the convenience, accessibility, and reliability of transit making it easier for people to shift from private vehicles to transit, walking, or biking.
For more details, see CALTRANS VMT Mitigation Program, Transit service improvement, pg. 30-32 and CAPCOA, T-3. Provide Transit-Oriented Development, pg. 76-79 for VMT reduction quantification.
Prioritize TOD projects in disadvantaged areas by integrating affordable housing, public amenities, and accessible transit services. Ensure meaningful community engagement during planning phases to prevent displacement and support culturally relevant design. Pair TOD initiatives with tenant protections, inclusionary zoning, supportive housing services, and community land trusts to promote long-term affordability.
While it costs the municipality staff time to review projects with greater density and to update zoning codes, grant resources from the state, such as the Regional Early Action Planning grants, have funded zoning updates to allow for greater density and infill housing. Other funding sources include the Pilot Program for TOD Planning (Federal Transit Administration), the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program (California Department of Housing and Community Development), the Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grants and the Low or No Emissions Bus Grants (Federal Transit Administration), the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program – Sustainable Communities – Competitive and Technical (Caltrans), the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (California Department of Housing and Community Development),the Multifamily Finance Super NOFA (California Department of Housing and Community Development), and the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Caltrans).
Downtown Modesto provides an existing regional transit hub around which additional TOD can occur. The Modesto Transit Center serves as a major connection point for StanRTA, and the area is also being positioned for future ACE passenger rail service. StanRTA’s planning documents identify Downtown Modesto as a key area for future growth and specifically identify opportunities for additional housing, mixed-use development, and transit-focused corridors. The City of Modesto is currently engaged in a Downtown Specific Plan to plan for economic development.
The future Ceres ACE Station will provide commuter rail service connecting Stanislaus County with the Bay Area, Sacramento, and future rail connections throughout the San Joaquin Valley. The station represents a significant transit investment that can support higher-density residential development, pedestrian-oriented design, mixed-use development, and enhanced local transit connections. The project provides a local example of how transit investments can serve as catalysts for transit-oriented development and coordinated land use planning.
