Sherman's March To Wal-Mart

24 July 2004 - 11:00am

The swath of destruction to farmland and natural areas caused by urban sprawl in the American South is worse than the damage wrought by General Sherman's March to the Sea during the Civil War.

If people in South Carolina are ever going to take a stand, they had better do it fast. Sherman's soldiers had to follow country roads. The developers have Interstate 85. Four of the five most-sprawling metro areas in the nation, according to Smart Growth America, lie along this stretch of highway. Yet sprawl -- and the frustrations it causes -- could play a role in the upcoming elections. It is one of the biggest sleeper issues in American politics. As more citizens fume in snarled traffic (their lifestyle choice, according to the pro-growth crowd), a light may go on in their heads that says this didn't have to be. When it does, their anger will turn most likely on Republicans.

Source: The Seattle Times, July 22, 2004
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These practices are also inequitable since they force non-drivers to subsidize parking costs, reduce travel options for non-drivers, and reduce housing affordability.