The future of suburbia is in jeopardy… and I think that this a good thing.
Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) pushed new regulations through the Commonwealth Transportation Board last month that would require all new subdivisions to provide through-streets that link to schools and other shopping areas. This legislation would effectively get rid of dead end streets and gated communities. I understand the concern for security and safety, but I think that the heart of this issue is sustainability. Traditional communities and small towns were originally designed using a grid-system, which allowed for inter-connectedness and multiple routes to avoid grid-lock. Suburban sprawl has changed the nature of development by utilizing large arteries and diffusing traffic into smaller branches that come to an abrupt end: the cul-de-sac. While this reduces through traffic on the cul-de-sac, this increases the traffic on major roads and reducing response time for critical emergencies, such as police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances. In Northern Virginia, these roads would be the Dulles Toll Road, Leesburg Pike, and Interstate 66. While the new regulations may seem a bit extremist, the transportation system has been in serious jeopardy for years. With the economy in its current state of turmoil, widening roads and building new highways is simply not an option. While I think that people should have a right to choose the environment that they live in, I also believe that cul-de-sac and private roads place an unfair burden on the public road systems they are connected to. (Note: These regulations don’t stop people from purchasing homes in existing cul-de-sacs or gated communities.)
The article says, “The changes come as cash-strapped states and localities can no longer afford the inexorable widening of secondary roads that are overburdened with traffic from the subdivisions, strip malls, schools and office buildings that feed into them. The system forces drivers to enter these traffic-choked roads to go even 50 yards or so to the neighborhood coffeehouse or elementary school.”
In my opinion, the only “fair” tax would be linked to usage. This is partially done through the use of gas taxes and toll roads, but public roads are paid for by the citizens that live in that jurisdiction… and unless they’re willing to pay more to maintain their lifestyle, the only sustainable option is to turn every road into a toll road.
In a “New Urbanist” or traditional neighborhood development (TND), commercial, retail, and residential buildings are mixed to create a new suburban landscape. This ensures that homes, grocery stores, post offices, doctors, dentists, restaurants and entertainment are within close proximity. I am a big proponent of traditional neighborhood development because it fosters the idea that parents do not have to choose between the safety and security of the suburbs and the convenience of urbanism.
