by Alexis Perrotta, Senior Policy Analyst, RPA
As you have probably already heard, the US Census Bureau estimates that America's population reached 300 million on Tuesday.
But is it crowded?
Of the 300 million residents of this country, some live in densely populated places and some in sparsely populated places. But it does seem that there is more crowding than there used to be - not necessarily density, but the frustrating set of circumstances in which people are stuck waiting for too long. The streets and highways are more crowded, lines seem longer and certain places - mall parking lots come to mind - are much more congested than years ago. It is true that in certain suburbs the experience of walking down the sidewalk or driving through a subdivision is the same solitary experience it has always been, but driving out of the subdivision you are more likely to encounter a traffic jam than a field or an open road.
It's easy to look at traffic congestion or a long line and blame the growing population. Yet unpleasant crowding is not a feature of all growth, but of auto-dependent single use growth known as sprawl - what some might call 'dumb growth' to contrast the popular phrase 'smart growth'. Auto-dependent development, initially envisioned as a way to escape the city crowds, has brought with it more crowding even as it has afforded to many much larger, more luxurious interior, private spaces than at any time in the past. According to the US Census, the average new single family house constructed in the U.S. in 2005 had 2,414 square feet, up 18% from just 10 years prior. Cars themselves are larger than ever, and more comfortable.
By their nature the large interior spaces of these private places are not available to the public at large. Many of the people who are both creating the crowd and stuck in it are not able to afford ample, roomy interior private spaces. In fact, it may surprise some to learn that of the 300 million people in America right now, most earn less than $25,000 (52% of people age 16 and up). Most households earn less than $45,000 per year (53%). If the price of oil continues to rise, most people will be unable to support their own private means of transportation - their cars - without cutting back on other essentials like housing, health care and food. This country will no longer have the option of continuing the growth patterns that promote large private spaces and crowded public ones.
Sprawl was an attempt to provide more space and less crowding, but it has hit a limit. The new paradox of sprawl is that as we're spreading out we're actually becoming more crowded. Whether our urban and suburban areas grow up or out - whether the growing US population leads to more sprawl and crowding or enough density and mix of uses to enable transit - is a crucial question. If advocates take advantage of this opportunity, hitting the 300 million mark could bring a new level of visibility to the issues of sprawl and crowding.
As you have probably already heard, the US Census Bureau estimates that America's population reached 300 million on Tuesday.
But is it crowded?
Of the 300 million residents of this country, some live in densely populated places and some in sparsely populated places. But it does seem that there is more crowding than there used to be - not necessarily density, but the frustrating set of circumstances in which people are stuck waiting for too long. The streets and highways are more crowded, lines seem longer and certain places - mall parking lots come to mind - are much more congested than years ago. It is true that in certain suburbs the experience of walking down the sidewalk or driving through a subdivision is the same solitary experience it has always been, but driving out of the subdivision you are more likely to encounter a traffic jam than a field or an open road.
It's easy to look at traffic congestion or a long line and blame the growing population. Yet unpleasant crowding is not a feature of all growth, but of auto-dependent single use growth known as sprawl - what some might call 'dumb growth' to contrast the popular phrase 'smart growth'. Auto-dependent development, initially envisioned as a way to escape the city crowds, has brought with it more crowding even as it has afforded to many much larger, more luxurious interior, private spaces than at any time in the past. According to the US Census, the average new single family house constructed in the U.S. in 2005 had 2,414 square feet, up 18% from just 10 years prior. Cars themselves are larger than ever, and more comfortable.
By their nature the large interior spaces of these private places are not available to the public at large. Many of the people who are both creating the crowd and stuck in it are not able to afford ample, roomy interior private spaces. In fact, it may surprise some to learn that of the 300 million people in America right now, most earn less than $25,000 (52% of people age 16 and up). Most households earn less than $45,000 per year (53%). If the price of oil continues to rise, most people will be unable to support their own private means of transportation - their cars - without cutting back on other essentials like housing, health care and food. This country will no longer have the option of continuing the growth patterns that promote large private spaces and crowded public ones.
Sprawl was an attempt to provide more space and less crowding, but it has hit a limit. The new paradox of sprawl is that as we're spreading out we're actually becoming more crowded. Whether our urban and suburban areas grow up or out - whether the growing US population leads to more sprawl and crowding or enough density and mix of uses to enable transit - is a crucial question. If advocates take advantage of this opportunity, hitting the 300 million mark could bring a new level of visibility to the issues of sprawl and crowding.
@RegionalPlan