What is TOG? TOG stands for Transit-Oriented Geocaching. But to explain what TOG is, we need to understand what TOD is- Transit-Oriented Development.
In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between dense, compact urban form and public transport use. In doing so, TOD aims to increase public transport ridership by reducing the use of private cars and by promoting sustainable urban growth.
TOD typically includes a central transit stop (such as a train station, or light rail or bus stop) surrounded by a high-density mixed-use area, with lower-density areas spreading out from this center, serving as part of an integrated transport network. TOD is also typically designed to be more walkable than other built-up areas, by using smaller block sizes and reducing the land area dedicated to automobiles. In some areas, it may include ferries. Areas that center a transit station as a hub while building residential-focused TOD development in the immediate area are known as transit villages.
The densest areas of TOD are normally located within a radius of 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 mile (400 to 800 m) around the central transit stop, as this is considered to be an appropriate scale for pedestrians, thus solving the last mile problem.
In 2025, California took a major step forward for TOD with the passage of SB79, a bill that legalized apartments within a half-mile of most rail stations. Its impacts won't be realized until the 2030s, but hopefully by then we will see a blossoming of TOD across the state and along our lovely LA Metro.
TOD is about building great cities from the middle out. Once they develop, they often become some of the best, most vibrant parts of a city. And the best places to be are the best places to Geocache. So TOG is about building and investing in those great places. We build from the middle out and the bottom up, so let's cache there too.
This series of caches will be hidden a very short walk from some of LA Metro's Rail stations. These are the cores our cities, so let's make them great.
This cache is located near the Historic Broadway station of the A and E light rail lines. This station opened in 2023 as part of the Regional Connector project which linked the A and E lines to the then L Line, and with that gave Metro the opportunity to condense the 3 lines into 2. This allowed the E Line to reach East Los Angeles, and caused the A Line to become the longest light rail line in the entire world. The Regional Connector, though still young, is transforming Downtown and helping to make Los Angeles into the transit-rich city it ought to be.
As the name would suggest, the Historic Broadway station brings you to the center of Downtown Los Angeles's historic core. The station allows for access to key government facilities such as the LA City Hall, the County courthouse, and handful of different offices and buildings across all levels of government and different departments. Along Broadway you'll also find many of the city's pre-war buildings, and along Spring you'll find many fo my favorite restaurants! So come on down to Broadway and make some history.