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Transit and Landuse
| -----------Why Transit?-----------
Population Growth Challenges |
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-------------Transit Plan------------- Regional Transit Funding Transit Tax Fairness Making Transit Work |
We are sprawling
Despite our added people, our population density is lower than it was in 1980. With few natural barriers to development, we have spread out into undeveloped land at a far more rapid pace than the increase in our population. Among the largest 83 metropolitan areas, we are the third most sprawled region, more so than Atlanta.
As we have sprawled, we have followed a pattern of widely separated land uses for homes, shops, jobs, schools, and civic and cultural facilities, increasing the number and length of trips. This pattern has increased air and water pollution resulting in impaired health for citizens and negative environmental impacts. Sprawling, bedroom communities lack a robust local economy and tax base to pay for infrastructure, police, fire and schools. Sprawl has destroyed farms, wildlife habitat and polluted waterways. Auto-dependency also affects our physical and mental health, creating fewer opportunities for exercise, family interaction and community involvement.
