From conception, the transportation and growth policies of the Obama administration seemed to be focused on urban environments. Maybe its the documented growth of urban populations in the U.S. or the redevelopment and infill that's occurring in many of the country's big cities. Or maybe its a bit of my own personal slant.
In any regard, though, I believe most people who read about "transportation alternatives" and "livability" think of these as concepts relevant only to urban environments. Stephen Lee Davis of Smart Growth America both disputes that perspective and wonders why it is so prevalent in Washington, D.C., even among representatives of rural constituencies. He relates his own experiences living in Bentonville, Arkansas, during a time when the city was booming under Walmart's influence. (Bentonville is home base for Walmart operations.) As a resident of the town's historic center city, he was able to observe the geographic expansion of Bentonville and contrast his lifestyle in Bentonville to those who inhabited the new suburban residential developments. That contrast originated largely from the planning and layout of those newer "communities."
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