Poll Contradicts Building Patterns

Americans are starting to change their minds about where they want to live, according to a recent Smart Growth America poll.

The survey found that approximately half of all Americans said they would prefer to live in a city or a suburb close to a city as opposed to a far suburb or rural area. This is likely the result of increasing concerns about lengthening commutes by car and disappearing open space, the study says. Smart Growth America claims that Americans increasingly want pedestrian friendly development close to mass transit, but not enough of it is getting built. Smart growth advocates were further bolstered by a recent Georgia Tech study that confirms that compact, smart-growth development would reduce car trips and improve air quality.