transit-or developmen The City completed a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Plan in September 2020 to guide transit oriented development efforts for the South End of Elm Street in Downtown Manchester. Transit-oriented development around the centralized train station could spur retail, jobs, and housing growth within easy commuting distances, address the lack of affordability in the vicinity of downtown, create an attractive retail district connected by enjoyable, comfortable pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and provide convenient transit services that meet current needs of residents and workers.
The Central development scenario, chosen as the development scenario from the TOD planning process in May of 2020, focuses on Elm Street and Willow Street and positions the planned rail platform near the stadium. This will provide the opportunity to create a fully multimodal station, complete with shuttles, bike access, bus transfers, parking, and a gateway to the rail trail. Passenger rail to and from Manchester could relieve pressure on the highways for work commutes and weekend travel. The existing corridor could support new rail service north and south of the City. Rail is a late stage investment in TOD, with the Millyard shuttle being the top priority investment. Manchester has the density to support transit service and an established transit system. Service improvements through system timing adjustments or route planning could increase transit use. Real-time transit information can be beneficial and MTA can coordinate to make its transit data available to app developers. Wayfinding and other user information can also support this improvement.
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Plan Manchester 2021