they aim for more affl uent buyers and prom- ise an ongoing payoff : hundreds of units to sell in phases over several years. And unlike infi ll development, they can often sidestep antiquated regulations and infrastructure, and build on a larger scale But what if these plans don’t include
provisions for alternative forms of transit? Residents (especially low-income residents) can fi nd themselves trapped in a community that’s totally car dependent, an expense that can eclipse every other household burden. But there’s no excuse for overlooking trans- portation when designing a new neighbor- hood. The research is decisive. For example, a just-released study on neighborhood transportation patterns by the Center for Transit Oriented Development (CTOD) found that cities with the highest density of intersections tended to have the highest frequency of “clean” mobility—walk- ing and biking. In other words, gridlock—not the kind that involves sitting in traffi c, but
BICYCLE BASHERS DESPITE YEARS OF EVIDENCE POINTING OUT THE POSITIVE HEALTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS OF BICYCLES, A FEW HOLDOUTS STILL WISH THEM OFF THE STREETS.
Prior to mass production of the automobile, the bicycle seemed like the ultimate replacement for the horse. As writer Hank Chapot tells it, “The bicycle took America by storm in the last part of the 1800s, becoming an object of pleasure and symbol of progress. Enthusiasts hailed the bicycle as “a democratizing force for good, the silent steed of steel, the modern horse.” People were so enamored of their two-wheelers that citizens of San Francisco in 1896 held a protest demanding that roads be repaved and made more bicycle friendly. But not all who are led to water will drink. Such is the case
with Blackhawk, Colo. As reported by Ashley Braun, this one-horse casino town has banned bicycles, ostensibly because of safety concerns. In fact, the local yokels will charge anybody caught riding one on the street a $68 fine. Presumably that fine goes to help pave the narrow roads so that car and truck drivers can have a few drinks, then jump in their vehicles after a night at the casino. Safety first! Sarcasm aside, resistance
the kind where streets intersect in somewhat random and tight patterns—has a positive eff ect on livability. They note that according to one 2010
study, “neighborhood type accounted for 61% of the observed eff ect of the built environ- ment on utilitarian walking frequency and 86% of the total eff ect on recreational walking frequency.” They add that another study in Raleigh, N.C., last year found that “environ- mental infl uences” had a direct eff ect on up to 98% of the choices people make about whether to drive or use other travel means. In other words, community design is
the major tool for changing transportation patterns—and reducing a site’s ongoing carbon footprint. A neighborhood designed for people will encourage much higher levels of walking and biking. The study notes, however, that getting people out of their cars also requires “destination accessibility.” In other words, they have to live close enough to where they want to go to make it worth the walk.
Research on automobile commuting
shows that travel to and from work consti- tutes only a quarter of all trips by car. Many more trips are made for personal errands, shopping, and entertainment. The formula is simple. Put housing close to these resources, and you need less parking and less road repair and you cause less climate-altering pollution. Of course, it’s not that easy. The
In 1896, San Francisco residents protested the lousy condition of streets. They wanted better infrastructure for bike riding.
CTOD study found that the best communities are mixed, diverse populations situated close to transit. But aff ordable housing without municipal subsidies and fast-tracked permitting has kept most private developers and builders focused on making an easier buck on single- family homes outside city limits. But as that market shrinks, they will be
to bikes is probably futile, not to mention against the public interest. Even AAA has seen that bicycles are more than a trend. They now offer a roadside assistance program for bikers that costs $39.95 per year. For that
price, you get a total of 30 miles of emergency transportation with your bike—but you don’t get someone to repair a flat tire or pick the lock of the combination you forgot.
squeezed into other markets, and that means refocusing on retrofi t, acquiring a new set of business skills for urban development, and/ or spending long months—even years— planning and executing a master planned community.
Can Master Plans Create Real Neighborhoods? Creating a community from scratch that is
36
GreenBuilder Juy > August 2010
www.greenbuildermag.com
Photos: Richard.Drud.flickr
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