Decisions about how we direct development and infrastructure – and how new development interacts with transportation options – have profound impacts on both our local economy and the environment. In this session representatives of the Metropolitan Council, local governments, businesses and nonprofits will discuss how transit oriented development (TOD) could impact our region’s economy and what businesses can do to maximize the benefits and opportunities it offers.

Like most regions of our size, the Twin Cities metro has set goals for and made recent investments in a more robust transit network. Yet for any transit network to be successful, and for it to bring the maximum benefits to a region, it must attract and retain development along its corridors. At this policy forum, state and national experts will address the following questions from their perspectives as leaders in business, government and advocacy:

• What might the economic consequences of different development strategies be to the region and what can we learn from peer regions that have invested in TOD?
• How can businesses likely to be impacted by the development of transit corridors engage in the planning process and maximize the degree to which they benefit from transit and TOD?
• What obstacles does TOD face in our region and what will the roles of government, nonprofits and businesses be in fostering TOD?

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