Limiting sprawl creates more choices. Studies show that Americans want nice neighborhoods and clean communities where, for example, they have the choice to walk or bike to work, markets, shops, entertainment and schools. Sprawling development divides residential areas from the places we work, shop and play.
Smart growth offers greater choice for homebuyers and renters by making communities more livable.
Smart growth offers citizens a greater range of transportation choices, so we can get around by walking, biking, riding the train or driving. Smart growth also helps protect cherished open spaces from development. Building new roads to deal with congestion is like buying a bigger pair of pants to deal with a weight problem. New roads may ease congestion for a short while, but they also attract more cars and lead to more sprawling development and more traffic when everyone tries to get to places far from home. Highways are also the number one cause of sprawl, according to a recent study by the American Farmland Trust.