Breaking Gridlock: Sprawling Out

Author Motavalli discusses the corporate lobby that created the conditions for sprawl, and the movement to supplant sprawl with smart growth.

1 minute read

December 1, 2001, 10:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen

In this excerpt from his upcoming book "Breaking Gridlock: Moving Toward Transportation That Works," Motavalli analyzes how in the 1950s "master builders," highway lobbyists, private motor enthusiasts and automobile companies deliberately created the urban reliance upon the automobile, which is responsible for the urban sprawl of today. Heavily financed highway lobbyists, such as the American Automobile Association, continue today to steer policy and funding in favor of building more roads and less public transportation. However, Motavalli also illustrates current examples ofsuccessful anti-sprawl or "smart growth" measures, which create municipal plans for controlled, environmentally sensitive development.

Thanks to California Policy Forum

FULL STORY: BREAKING GRIDLOCK: Sprawling Out

Tuesday, November 20, 2001 in Tom Paine - Common Sense

Transportation United States

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