A large chunk of the state's developed land is designated as low to very low single-family residential, which explains an exceptionally high percentage of workers who commute to work alone. PlanMaryland seeks to change this unsustainable trend.
Writing for The Atlantic, Eric Jaffe reports:
"To service this auto-centric growth, the state will need to build thousands of miles of new roads at a cost of billions of dollars. In addition to construction costs, building roads to serve sprawl carries a relative cost of rendering existing transit systems less effective. That's a particular burden for low-income residents who can't afford locate close to main mass transit lines, since the cost of owning a car in Maryland is estimated by the plan at $8,500 a year."
"The solution proposed by PlanMaryland is to increase housing density in areas that already have roads, water systems, and transit access - in other words, to build upon the built."
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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