Sustainable Urban Mobility in Qatar: Transforming Doha’s Built Environment through Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

• Automobile dependence in Middle Eastern cities, including Doha, has led to congestion, social fragmentation, and economic inefficiencies. • Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) are a policy tool to enhance urban mobility, livability, and sustainable urban growth. • The study examines integration of transit infrastructure with land use, the Lusail LRT development, and the policy relevance and livability impacts of TODs in Doha. • Methodology combines spatial analysis, policy review, and stakeholder perspectives to assess TOD opportunities, challenges, and impacts on quality of life. • Findings provide a transferable framework for TOD implementation to reduce car dependence, improve accessibility, and foster walkable, socially cohesive communities in the Gulf region. Automobile dependence has long shaped mobility patterns across urban and suburban landscapes, resulting in congestion, social fragmentation, and economic inefficiencies. In response to climate change, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and volatile oil prices, cities worldwide are turning to public transit as a sustainable alternative. Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) are increasingly recognized as a policy tool to reshape mobility, urban form, and urban livability. Middle Eastern cities, historically reliant on private vehicles, are now making significant investments in transit infrastructure. Doha, the capital of Qatar, has undergone rapid economic and demographic expansion over the past two decades, largely driven by the hydrocarbon sector. To manage urban growth and enhance mobility, the city is implementing an integrated public transport system including the Doha Metro, Lusail LRT, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). This study investigates three interrelated dimensions: (1) the integration of transit infrastructure with land use as part of Doha’s urban transformation, (2) the development trajectory of the Lusail LRT system, and (3) the policy relevance and livability impacts of TODs in Doha. The methodology combines spatial analysis of land use and transit networks with policy review and stakeholder perspectives, allowing for qualitative assessment of TOD opportunities, challenges, and impacts on urban quality of life. The findings reveal that TODs can inform policy interventions aimed at reducing car dependence, enhancing accessibility, promoting mixed-use development, and fostering walkable, socially cohesive communities. Furthermore, they provide a transferable framework for developing socio-culturally contextualized TOD strategies in rapidly urbanizing, car-dependent settings. These insights extend beyond Doha, offering guidance for other Gulf cities seeking to balance modernization with sustainable and culturally sensitive urban development.