> we need to intentionally return to our traditional pattern of development, one based on creating neighborhoods of value, scaled to actual people. When we do this, we will inevitably rediscover our traditional values of prudence and thrift as well as the value of community and place.
So, less suburbs and more what?
I've spent some time doing walking tours in England and it doesn't seem much different.
My small Midwestern childhood suburb would have me drive at least 15 minutes to get to the nearest business, which was a big box supermarket with a parking lot that would take 10 minutes to walk across, plus crossing a highway sized median in order to get to the next business over. Meaning totally unwalkable, which is how most of the USA is - no town center with anything worth going to, meaning no community worth being a part of, and really high infrastructure costs for a very unproductive area.
I don't know. It's mostly old farming towns around where I live. They don't generally have a lot of retail businesses--although the bigger ones may have some on the main street going through town. They're pleasant towns but you're mostly not walking to get places. To grocery shop I'm driving 15 minutes or to the nearest small city next door.
My town is the oldest one in the neighborhood (1600s) and my house is a couple hundred years old. But it was mostly farms so everything is pretty spread out.
A few things I would expect from a walkable small town:
- You’re able to easily walk to a grocery store
- Kids are able to easily and safely walk or bike to school
- Kids are able to easily and safely walk or bike to their friends’ houses
Most of the US, from what I’ve seen, doesn’t meet those standards.
Streetcar suburbs (even with the streetcars now long gone) are a model of development that Strong Towns endorses.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streetcar_suburb
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2020/8/27/in-praise-of-s...