ABSTRACT
This entry describes the concept of location efficiency (also called smart growth), which refers to land-use development patterns that maximize the ease with which people can obtain desired goods, services, and activities, and that minimize the need for physical travel. Location efficiency includes factors such as land-use density, land-use mix, roadway connectivity, and transportation system diversity. Improving location efficiency helps reduce transportation costs, including road and parking facility costs, consumer costs, traffic risk, energy consumption, pollutant emissions, and other environmental impacts. It also benefits people who are transportation disadvantaged and increases housing affordability.
