Development of transit oriented development in Dubai City and the Gulf States

The Gulf States have undergone very rapid economic and population growth, which has been accompanied by major urban development and transportation system expansion. The dispersed urban fabric and largely highway-based transport system have resulted in car-dependent travel behaviour, along with its various negative consequences. To encourage more sustainable travel behaviour, several cities in the region have planned or already implemented transit systems, supported by the concept of transit oriented development (TOD). This chapter examines how cities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region became automobile-dependent, and how recent distinctive initiatives taken by the Government of Dubai have helped the city to reorient its growth with the aim of becoming more sustainable, liveable and economically competitive, by integrating its land use and transit systems. As part of the study, the shifting attitudes and behaviour of developers in response to the planning and opening of the transit system are documented. The implications for TOD as a tool to encourage more sustainable travel behavior in GCC countries are discussed.