Key Influencing Factors for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Mountainous Cities

Mountainous cities in China face multiple unique challenges in implementing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) models. To explore how specific geographical conditions constrain TOD implementation in mountainous areas, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 senior experts in China’s rail transit sector and collected data from 117 professionals via questionnaire surveys. Through reliability and validity testing, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and relative importance index (RII) analysis, 26 influencing factors were categorized into dimensions and prioritized, revealing topographic and engineering constraints as the primary core challenges. Consequently, this study proposes a four-dimensional intervention framework encompassing “technological breakthroughs, transportation integration, policy innovation, and value capture.” The solutions emphasize prioritizing terrain-adaptive engineering innovations, establishing multi-modal three-dimensional transportation systems, creating coordinated mechanisms for three-dimensional spatial property rights, and balancing high construction costs through land value capture.