New Report Debunks Pro-Sprawl Claims

A new report issued by the Congress For The New Urbanism argues that an earlier pro-sprawl report authored by Wendell Cox is based on misinformation.

1 minute read

December 11, 2001, 12:00 PM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Current development practices create sprawl. For too long, our development system has produced a landscape that is dominated by the private car. Most new developmnets are not pedestrian-friendly, and difficult to serve with public transit There is wide support for changing this state of affairs. Tens of millions of Americans want to live in walkable neighborhoods served by transit. Growth advocates, sometimes called "sprawl apologists," aggressively distribute information about the benefits of growth and problems with anti-sprawl policy. In a recent, and well-publicized report, Wendell Cox attacks Portland, Oregon as the epitome of Smart Growth, and uses Atlanta, Georgia as an example of the high quality of life provided by car-dependent development. CNU has published a response to this report, charging that Portland is doing much better than Cox admits, and demonstrates that many of Cox's statistics are questionable or incorrect. Editor's note: The link below opens a PDF file.

Thanks to Andy Kunz

Tuesday, December 11, 2001 in The Congress for the New Urbanism

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View from inside car's driver seat while driving.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians

Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

45 minutes ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA