Michael Baker lead a multidisciplinary team to assist the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) with developing a transit-oriented development (TOD) master plan for the Harrisburg Transportation Center (HTC) and surrounding blighted area that includes the former Patriot News Building and USPS distribution center.
Our Harrisburg, PA, office integrated the firm’s Design Hub expertise to lead a weeklong visioning process and design charrette that leveraged diverse inputs from community and business leaders, commuters, neighborhood associations and the general public to create a TOD urban revitalization strategy centered on PennDOT’s investments into the new and improved HTC.
The purpose of the master plan is to identify different development scenarios and establish an implementation phasing plan to meet the following goals and objectives:
- Leverage the HTC as a multimodal asset
- Increase ridership on the Keystone Line and create greater efficiencies for existing public transportation services
- Serve as a cornerstone to help define and support sustainable redevelopment in the TOD Study Area
- Increase connectivity to the train station from surrounding employment centers and residential districts in the downtown area and nearby neighborhoods
- Create a pedestrian, bicycle and transit-friendly environment around the TOD Study Area
- Integrate mixed-use development/public space
The master plan leverages PennDOT’s multimodal transportation investments to create new opportunities for both public and private sector development interests to advance the vision forward to success.