| State and federal transportation policies have had
an enormous impact on our development patterns.
America’s highway system, for instance, opened up
tremendous housing and development opportunities
in the suburbs, offering families what was once The
American Dream – a large house on a large lot with
plenty of green space and little traffi c, all far from the
cities they left behind.
But 50 years of ever-expanding roads
and highways
has also created widespread sprawl. And sprawl is
eroding the quality-of-life that drew families to the
suburbs in the fi rst place. This trend has led policymakers
to rethink our transportation policies and the
development patterns that they infl uenced.
Smart Growth uses
wise, targeted transportation
investments to create livable communities and reduce
the amount of car travel necessary by offering mobility
choices such as walking, biking and public transit.
One example is Transit-Oriented Development (TOD),
also known as “Transit Villages.” TODs are compact,
walkable/bikeable, mixed-use communities planned on
a village scale and built around transit – rail, bus
or ferry.
TODs create a strong sense of place and provide ready
access to work, recreation, shopping and neighbors.
Smart Growth also focuses infrastructure spending –
roads, sidewalks, transit, sewers – on existing communities,
which helps revitalize older neighborhoods. |
