After more than five decades of urban sprawl, many communities are now completely dependent on the automobile. Many of us live in one community, but work, shop, and play elsewhere. But a new vision of what constitutes a desirable community is emerging.
Communities that link their transportation investments to land use become compact, pedestrian-friendly areas. They feature open-spaces and other appealing private and public uses of the land, and they include easy access to public transportation. Air quality improves because of decreased reliance on automobiles—and everyone enjoys increased access to appealing regional destinations.
And with the rising price of gas, there are now substantial economic incentives for transportation-friendly land development.