Transit‑Oriented Development, Integration of Land Use and Transport, and Pedestrian Accessibility in Lisbon

The paper investigates Transit‑Oriented Development (TOD) in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area by integrating land‑use and transport planning through an enhanced node‑place model that incorporates pedestrian connectivity (the pedestrian shed ratio, pedshed). While Bertolini’s node‑place model captures the balance between transportation supply (node) and land‑use intensity (place), it omits a direct measure of walkability. By calculating pedshed ratios for 83 station areas, the author creates a three‑dimensional classification (node, place, walkability) and conducts a cluster analysis that yields seven distinct station‑area typologies—from highly walkable “Urban TODs” to “Car‑dependent node‑places.” The results reveal a systemic mismatch: 59 stations have a higher place index than node index, indicating insufficient transit supply relative to land‑use density, and highlight the pivotal role of pedestrian accessibility in shaping effective TOD.

Supporting evidence

• Node‑place imbalance: 59 of 83 stations show a higher place index (mean 0.543) than node index (mean 0.456), signalling that land‑use intensity exceeds transport provision.
• Pedestrian shed ratios: pedshed values range from 0.147 to 0.768, demonstrating considerable variation in walkability across the network.
• Correlation analysis: pedshed ratios correlate positively with node (r = 0.385) and place (r = 0.564) indexes, indicating that better pedestrian accessibility tends to coincide with higher land‑use density.
• Cluster outcomes: Seven station‑area categories emerge, distinguishing balanced “Urban TODs” from undersupplied or car‑dependent nodes, thereby providing a strategic framework for targeted interventions.

Key findings

1. Model integration: Merging the node‑place framework with pedestrian shed ratios yields a more holistic assessment of TOD, explicitly accounting for walkability.
2. Supply‑demand mismatch: The prevalence of higher place than node indexes underscores a city‑wide need to augment transit capacity around dense land‑use zones.
3. Walkability variability: Wide dispersion in pedshed ratios signals that some stations already enjoy strong pedestrian catchments, while others require substantial improvements.
4. Positive accessibility link: Higher pedshed ratios are associated with both greater node and place scores, suggesting that walkable environments reinforce land‑use intensity and vice‑versa.
5. Typology for planning: The seven‑cluster classification enables planners to prescribe bespoke strategies—e.g., enhancing pedestrian infrastructure in “Undersupplied transit TODs” or re‑balancing land‑use in “Car‑dependent node‑places.”
6. Policy recommendation: Targeted upgrades to sidewalks, crossings, and public‑realm amenities, coupled with increased service frequency, are essential to align transport supply with existing and projected land‑use demands, thereby boosting transit patronage and active travel.