Maryland Department of Transportation

Transit Oriented Development TOD 

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) works in partnership with State, local, and private partners to support Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) throughout Maryland. Our TOD team has two areas of focus: joint development of State-owned land and support for local jurisdictions leading their own TOD.

TOD As a State Priority

Transit-oriented development generally refers to dense, mixed-use development in the ½ mile radius around a transit station. The Moore-Miller 2024 State Plan highlights TOD as an important tool in tackling the affordable housing shortage and leveraging infrastructure to bolster inclusive economic growth. MDOT actively promotes TOD as an approach to help increase transit ridership, support economic development, and maximize the efficient use of transportation infrastructure.

Transit-oriented development is defined in the Maryland Transportation Article as a mix of private or public parking facilities, commercial and residential structures, and uses, improvements, and facilities customarily appurtenant to such facilities and uses, that:

  1. Is part of a deliberate development plan or strategy involving:
    1. Property that is adjacent to the passenger boarding and alighting location of a planned or existing transit station;
    2. Property, any part of which is located within one–half mile of the passenger boarding and alighting location of a planned or existing transit station; or
    3. Property that is adjacent to a planned or existing transit corridor;
  2. Is planned to maximize the use of transit, walking, and bicycling by residents and employees; and
  3. Is designated as a transit–oriented development by:
    1. The Smart Growth Subcabinet established under § 9–1406 of the State Government Article; and
    2. The local government or multicounty agency with land use and planning responsibility for the relevant area applying for designation

Local jurisdictions or multicounty agencies with land use and planning responsibility for a relevant area are eligible to apply for State Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Designation. There are currently 14 State-designated TODs in Maryland:

State TOD Designation comes with several benefits, including:

  • Eligibility for MDOT's TOD Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund
  • Sustainable Community Designation (to be eligible for Sustainable Communities incentives, the TOD site must also have an approved Sustainable Community plan)
  • Projects located in State TODs receive additional points in competitive application rounds for Low Income Housing Tax Credits administered by DHCD
  • State Procurement: When DGS or MDOT uses a point system to evaluate proposals to lease or purchase office or laboratory space, additional points shall be awarded to proposals located within a State-designated TOD

As of July 31, 2023, State TOD Designations are awarded by the Smart Growth Subcabinet. As shown in the process chart below, applicants begin the application process with MDOT, who ultimately presents a recommendation to the Smart Growth Subcabinet for their consideration. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate that they have a deliberate plan for the TOD, addressing eight categories (pictured below).

Local jurisdictions seeking State TOD Designation for a site can apply via the TOD Designation Application Form. If your jurisdiction has questions or seeks assistance with any part of this process, please contact TOD Coordinator Alex Walinskas at awalinskas@mdot.maryland.gov or 410.865.1304.

Local Jurisdiction

Develops a deliberate Plan or Strategies

Local legislative body adopts a resolution

Submits Application to MDOT

MDOT

Circulates plan to modes

Circulates plan to SGSC Members

Coordinates any issues with local jurisdiction

Develops recommendation to SGSC (approval, approval w/ conditions)

SGSC

Deliberates on proposed plan or strategies

Considers MDOT recommendation

Issues a resolution approving/denying Designation. Can include suggested courses of action

TOD Designation Plan

Land Use

Land use plan for mix of uses targeting meaningful densities

Bike, Pedestrian, Complete Streets

Pedestrian, bicycle and personal mobility connectivity strategies for a 1/2 mile around the station

Housing

Goals for housing production, density and affordability

Action Plan

Action plan providing timeline, community engagement strategy, enabling projects, zoning, potential funding sources and commitments

Parking

Rationalized parking strategy for the intended development

Transportation Network

Strategy for connectivity to transit

Cohesion

Consistency with local and regional land use and comprehensive plans

Green Infrastructure

Strategies for incorporating green infrastructure and other environmental strategies

MDOT has partnered with many other state agencies to develop an interactive site, the State TOD Hub, that is a springboard for local jurisdictions, planners, elected officials, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, real estate professionals and the general public who are interested in advancing TOD or TOD principles in their jurisdictions.

MDOT also has specific resources to help coordinate with other agencies in planning, design, and investment partnerships:

A nighttime view of Baltimore City skyline scross the Inner Harbor

MDOT TOD Station Information and Planning Resources

Is your site transit-supportive? MDOT is here to help you identify opportunities to improve connectivity, and to plan for improvements near our station areas. Following are some key resources we have developed to help inform your TOD agenda.

The MDOT Office of Planning and Capital Programming has worked with the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) to develop:

The Maryland Transit Station Area Profile Tool is an interactive map that compiles key socio-economic, demographic, land-use and transit-access information for all of Maryland’s current and planned fixed rail stations. and

The Maryland TOD Models and Guidelines Resources (Both developed and supported by MDP).

MDOT OPCP can also help inform critical bicycle and pedestrian access components of your TOD Strategy.

For more information regarding Program Design contact Fred Lippert, Deputy Director, Planning and Programming at flippert@mdot.maryland.gov or 410-767-3027.

MDOT may be able to provide technical assistance to identify state resources, improve connectivity, or support planning/feasibility studies for TOD.

For more information regarding TOD, contact David Zaidain, AICP, Chief, Real Estate & Transit Oriented Development at dzaidain@mdot.maryland.gov or 410-865-1050.

MDOT Office of Real Estate & Economic Development (MDOT ORED) has published a Request for Information in advance of launching the new TOD Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund. The RFI can be found here. For more information please contact TOD Coordinator Alex Walinskas at awalinskas@mdot.maryland.gov

Design and Access Guidance for Maryland TOD

TOD efforts must be shaped by and designed to meet the needs of a variety of station sites. 

 For helpful input on station area design considerations see: The MDOT Maryland Transit Administration’s TOD Page.  

MDOT MTA’s Designing for Transit: TOD Design Guidelines provides design Guidelines to illustrate transit access considerations for diverse station types.

MDOT State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA), has a Context Driven Access and Mobility for All Users Guide to provide guidance on roadway enhancements appropriate to station areas.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) provides planning and design studies for many Metro Station areas.

A nighttime view of Baltimore City skyline scross the Inner Harbor

TOD Funding Resources

MDOT Office of Real Estate & Economic Development (MDOT ORED) has published a Request for Information in advance of launching the new TOD Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund. The RFI can be found here. For more information please contact TOD Coordinator Alex Walinskas at awalinskas@mdot.maryland.gov.

US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Build America Bureau offers several programs to provide project finance assistance to State, local, and private project sponsors. For more information, please visit the Build America Bureau financing page.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community (DHCD) administers the Maryland Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) Program, which allocates federal income tax credits for residential rental projects in Maryland that invest in the construction and rehabilitation of housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. Projects located within State-designated TODs receive additional points in competitive application rounds. For more information, please visit DHCD’s LIHTC Program page.

A nighttime view of Baltimore City skyline scross the Inner Harbor

Land and Joint Development Opportunities to Implement Maryland TOD

“Joint Development” means a public transportation project that integrally relates to, and often co-locates with commercial, residential, mixed-use, or other non-transit development. Joint development may include partnerships for public or private development associated with any mode of transit system that is being improved through new construction, renovation, or extension. Joint development may also include intermodal facilities, intercity bus and rail facilities, transit malls, or historic transportation facilities.

Joint development of MDOT-owned property adjacent to MDOT MTA rail stations is coordinated by MDOT ORED in conjunction with the MDOT MTA Office of Real Estate. For information on MDOT’s land and development opportunities, visit:

MDOT supports WMATA’S Joint Development program at its Maryland Metro stations. For more information regarding the MDOT Real Estate Joint Development Program, please contact David Zaidain, AICP, Chief, Real Estate & Transit Oriented Development at dzaidain@mdot.maryland.gov or 410-865-1050.

MDOT ORED has published the Penn Line TOD Strategy Plan, a new strategy to spur denser, mixed-use development and increased ridership along the MARC Penn Line. The Plan provides a blueprint for unlocking economic opportunities at six train stops in the corridor with potential to create thousands of new jobs and yield more than $800 million in tax revenue for the State over three decades. It will help drive economic growth in underserved communities, in line with the efforts of the Moore-Miller Administration to advance transit-oriented development statewide. ORED plans to release a public development solicitation opportunity at Odenton MARC Station later this fall.

For Information regarding opportunities connected to the WMATA Metro see: