Designing a Transit Oriented Development with a Trackless Tram System—Case Study Bulawayo

Abstract

The need for a mid-tier transit system and the opportunities created by 21st century transit technologies like Trackless Trams System (TTS) has been analysed in an earlier paper to show TTS could be a leapfrog solution for the future of sustainable urban development in developing cities. This paper outlines how the TTS can be created as a part of Transit Oriented Development (TOD). Informed by literature, this study identified four factors that are important for enabling transition towards TOD. Using three of these factors a framework for assessing and evaluating TOD is formulated. The study then applies the formulated framework to the potential corridors that could potentially enable a transition towards a successful TOD for Bulawayo and enable the TTS to be delivered in a partnership with urban land development. The findings do reveal that most of the station precincts that are closer to the CBD have a higher potential to enable transition to TOD. This could suggest that the TTS could be implemented in two phases, the first phase covering the high impact station precincts.