Introduction: How Abington wins with Transit-Oriented Development, safer kids, stronger shops

Transit oriented development, TOD, is simple- more homes, shops, and daily needs within an easy walk or bike of our stations. Abington already has the bones for this, multiple Regional Rail stops, walkable districts like Keswick and Jenkintown nearby, and a growing network of parks and trails.

What we need now is policy that makes the good stuff easy to build, and street fixes that make the walk to the train safe and obvious. Done right, TOD lowers transportation costs, cuts traffic, supports small businesses, and gives seniors, workers, and families more options.

To get my updates on topics like this, Subscribe to my Local Motion Newsletter

Start with Vision2035, move from plan to action

Abington’s Vision2035 Draft Plan says it clearly- Abington is roughly 98 percent built out, so the future is infill, reuse, and safe access to transit. The plan points toward a Transit Oriented Overlay and a Mixed Residential Overlay near centers and stations, along with policies that support a wider mix of homes that are attainable and accessible. Use that as the legal and political cover to move fast, align the first TOD steps with the plan, and restart implementation as the budget cycle allows.

Where to begin- Noble, Rydal, Crestmont

Start where demand and destinations already exist, and where quick safety upgrades can open up access fast.

• Noble and the Old York Road corridor

• Rydal and nearby schools and campuses

• Crestmont, with connections to housing, parks, and transit

Where Noble Stands Now

Put TOD in the code, make good projects by-right

Adopt a simple TOD Overlay around target stations that matches Vision2035, allow mixed-use buildings, small apartments over shops, and missing middle homes on side streets. Keep height and step backs contextual, require doors and stoops that face the street, and right size parking so walkable projects can pencil out.

• Map a Mixed Residential Overlay one to three blocks off the station, permit duplexes, triplexes, quads, and courtyard buildings by right with basic design standards.

• Tie approvals to small public benefits, sidewalk gap fills, safe crossings, street trees, bike parking, and stormwater fixes.

• Modernize small scale housing rules near stations so homeowners and small builders are not chasing variances for gentle density the plan already supports.

Make the walk to the train safe, obvious, and pleasant

Policy only works if people can reach the platform without a car. These near term moves align with the Noble Action Plan, Walk Park Train, the Parks Plan work, and Vision2035.

Close the priority sidewalk gaps to stations

• Fill missing links on Rydal Road and on Fox Chase Road by Abington Art Center. Stripe high visibility crossings at Evergreen, Jenkintown Road, and other school and park approaches.

• At Rydal, add a short ramp or steps where approaches are steep, consider a refuge island at Susquehanna and Old Valley, and stitch sidewalks to Penn State Abington and adjacent neighborhoods.

Calm speeds and add bike access on The Fairway to Noble

• Narrow lanes to slow traffic, set a 25 mph target, add protected bike lanes, and mark mid-block crossings with daylighting and refuge islands. Wayfinding should point directly to the station and the nearby commercial blocks.

Upgrade Noble Station access and amenities

• Add wayfinding from Old York and Baeder, high visibility crosswalks at the platforms, RRFBs where warranted, a weather protected bus stop, bike racks, and a simple kiss and ride area. Coordinate with SEPTA and PennDOT work so designs line up and do not get value engineered later.

• Connect parks and trails to the rail walksheds. Use the Parks Plan to prioritize trail loops that meet Universal Design standards, then formalize missing links to Tookany Creek and Pennypack so neighbors can walk or roll to stations without mixing with fast traffic.

Green the curbs as you build the network

• Install rain gardens and bioswales in curb extensions, porous pavement in lots, and new street trees. These projects tame stormwater, shade sidewalks, and make the station approach feel like a place, not a cut through.

Fund it and deliver, stack grants and use an Official Map

Pair Township capital and developer contributions with SS4A for safety, TASA and DCED Multimodal for sidewalks and bike lanes, and Montco 2040 for local links. Publish an Official Map that shows the exact gaps and crossings the Township intends to build, it strengthens every grant application and tells developers where to help.

Year one checklist- quick wins to measure and scale

• Adopt a draft TOD Overlay for Noble, Rydal, and Crestmont that mirrors Vision2035, keep it simple and design forward.

• Map a Mixed Residential Overlay within a short walk of stations to unlock missing middle homes.

• Pass an Official Map that lists the sidewalk gaps and crossings to close first.

• Advance The Fairway safety package to concept, protected bike lanes, lane narrowing, 25 mph target, and mid-block crossings.

• Program Noble Station access upgrades, wayfinding, crosswalks, RRFBs, bus shelter, bike parking, kiss and ride.

• Convert a slice of parking into a pocket plaza with trees and seating, measure foot traffic before and after.

• Paint and post daylighting at corners near stations, remove legal but dangerous curbside spaces that block sight lines.

• Launch a sidewalk gap mini program near stations, quick design, small contracts, build every year.

• Bake green infrastructure into every curb project by default.

• Confirm the Vision2035 implementation matrix, name leads and dates for each item above.

One to three year moves, build the full network

• Adopt a Transit Oriented Overlay with clear, simple standards, height in the three to five story range near stations, stepping down on edges.

• Map Mixed Residential areas within a ten minute walk of stations, allow duplexes, triplexes, and small apartments by right.

• Create a local density bonus for on-site affordable units and for car free households.

• Fund sidewalks, trees, and lighting through a small in lieu fee or a station area improvement district that keeps dollars local.

Why this matters

These steps let small builders, local businesses, and homeowners invest without fighting the rules, and they let families actually reach the train without driving. That is the point, more homes near transit, more local customers for our shops, calmer streets for kids and seniors, and less time stuck on Old York Road.

Nearby Montco examples, lessons to borrow

What TOD is, and what it is not

• It is missing-middle homes, corner shops, and small apartment buildings near stations, not towers everywhere.

• It is safer crossings, shorter trips, and local business vitality, not clogged intersections and empty storefronts.

• It is options for fixed incomes and first time buyers, not displacement by default.

Watch- Noble TOD in 30 seconds

My Noble TOD Plan lays out the opportunity for our community.

What neighbors can do now

• Share this blog with your friends + family and talk about the benefits, safer streets, lower bills, more foot traffic for small shops.

• Let your commissioner know this is something you care about and show up at Board meetings to let the Township know.

• Ask for pilot projects, not studies without end, paint, posts, planters, clear metrics, then scale what works.

My commitment

I support housing near transit that is attainable, climate smart, and built with community input. If you want to talk through what this could look like in Abington or how policy can support it, reach out and let's talk.

To get my updates on topics like this, Subscribe to my Local Motion Newsletter

Ross Abel, Realtor® and community-minded investor based in Eastern Montgomery County, PA, focusing on walkable neighborhoods in Abington, Cheltenham, and Jenkintown. Reach out anytime if you want to talk housing!