ABSTRACT
America's suburbs have deep roots in the past, dominate the present, and appear to be the preferred place of residence, work, and leisure in the future. Sidewalks are rare and only the most venturesome pedestrian will attempt the trek from the Wal-Mart parking lot to a Home Depot store down the road. Highways are the lifelines of sprawl, the arteries that make it possible and that perpetuate this supposed blight. Environmentalists indict auto-dependent suburbia for polluting the air. "Although emission controls have reduced tailpipe emissions, increased driving has offset that benefit," observes one critique of unchecked development. The basic principles of smart growth are the creation of compact, dense, walkable, mixed-use communities; preservation of open space and farmland; promotion of public transit with a resulting decline in the use of the automobile; and provision of a range of housing options including affordable units.
