Originally Posted by
wahoonc
Around here they just drive without them...
Seriously, nearly a third of the vehicles on the roads in NC on any given day are being operated illegally. No insurance, no drivers' license, improper registration (expired or not on the vehicle it was issued for), no current inspection.
The US is headed for a point where something is going to have to give. Baby Boomers are getting older and living longer, they grew up driving and will drive until they either kill themselves or the keys get taken away. Unfortunately in many states it is all but impossible to stop someone from driving.
There is some movement towards more self contained neighborhoods in some parts of the country. But around here they are still building suburgatory, lollipop neighborhoods with unsustainable density. The county I live in is one of the fastest growing micropolitan areas in the country. Population has nearly doubled since 1995, and is expected to continue to grow. Average commute for people in our county is 17.6 miles. Population density is 215. No county wide mass transit, minimal to no cycling or walking infrastructure.
Aaron
Yes, it's a bleak picture in many areas. But low density development (AKA sprawl) will continue as long as cars are dominant, and cars will dominate as long as there is sprawl. It's a loop baby! It's hard to see what will break the loop, but it's going to be a complex solution involving tax codes, land use regulations, and changing real estate patterns as well as improvements in infrastructure and better public transit.
Around here we're seeing some infill development, but strong pushback against a BRT system that would help to tie all that development together. The next couple years is going to be very interesting!