It used to be simple: there was the city and there were the suburbs. Now, according to Chris Leinberger in a new report Foot Traffic Ahead: Ranking Walkable Urbanism in America's Largest Metros, the distinction is a lot more subtle. A lot of suburban town centers have been getting denser and more walkable. Quite a few cities are not. Now, the more critical definitions are walkable (often urban) and driveable (often suburban.) The report notes:
“The future growth of walkable urban places could provide the same economic base in the 21st century that drivable sub-urbanism did in the mid-to late-20th century . However, this growth will not be realized without appropriate infrastructure, zoning, and financing mechanisms at the federal, state, and local levels.”
Read more: http://www.treehugger.com/urban-design/new-study-shows-walkable-urbanism-will-provide-economic-foundation-us-economy.html
