'Can Transit Tame Sprawl?' Some Have Doubts

If higher housing costs mean lower transit costs, and vice-versa, can improved public transit provide sufficient incentives to rein in sprawl? Not, according to Anthony Downs, if NIMBYs continue to push local governments to reject higher densities.

1 minute read

April 11, 2002, 7:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech

"Housing and transportation costs are inversely related. In outlying settlements, households with more than one worker usually need two or more vehicles to get everyone to their jobs. That increases their transportation costs. Because their homes tend to be built on lower-cost rural land, however, their housing costs are relatively low. Conversely, in denser urban areas that are well served by public transit, households with two or more workers can get by with one vehicle or even none. For these households, transportation costs are likely to be a lower percentage of their budget than their rural counterparts. But urban land is usually valuable real estate, so their housing costs are likely to be steeper."

Thanks to Jim Bickhart

FULL STORY: Can Transit Tame Sprawl?

Thursday, January 10, 2002 in Governing

Transportation United States

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

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

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.