Sustainable Urban Design and Walkable Neighborhoods

Abstract

Urban development within the United States has not remained stagnant as evident by the development patterns that have evolved over time. When urban development was beginning in the United States there was a mix of land-uses which were necessary due to the limited transportation options available at the beginning of the twentieth century and before. Sustainability was related to self-preservation and was partially focused on the ability to get to the needed destination which was accomplished through use of one of the following available transportation modes; horse, trolley, train, and/or walking. A close proximity to the frequented locations was highly desirable due to the limited range of these transportation modes. However, as the evolution of the automobile occurred and became more attainable by households, urban development began a transformation that would help push housing away from the city center and away from desired destinations such as places of employment, shopping, and school. By the mid 1900s, the private automobile was becoming the primary mode of transportation for households and cities would begin tailoring infrastructure to accommodate the increasing numbers of automobiles in use. Sustainability during the height of suburban neighborhood development has been related to personal space preservation and has had little to do with public transportation, environmental preservation, and household finances.