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What smart growth principles encourage pedestrian-friendly communities?
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urban sprawl
Mosaic of images taken by Landsat 5 of the western portion of Las Vegas in 1984 (top), 1999 (middle), and 2009 (bottom).
To create pedestrian-friendly communities, smart growth strategies focus on reversing the effects of single-use zoning, which often separates homes from essential services and necessitates automobile dependence. By integrating New Urbanism principles, smart growth encourages the following approaches to foster walkability:1
- Mixed Land Use: Integrating a variety of land-use types—such as residential, commercial, and institutional—into the same community, allowing residents to reach daily destinations on foot.21
- Compact Design: Constructing compact homes and businesses that utilize space efficiently, which increases density and reduces the distance between locations.2
- Transportation Choices: Increasing options for travel, such as mass transit and bicycle trails, which support a pedestrian-oriented environment.2
- Inclusive Development: Supporting urban growth that incorporates existing neighborhoods rather than isolating new developments at the urban fringe.2
These principles aim to maintain community vitality and improve the quality of life by making daily activities accessible without relying on cars.2