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Last time, I discussed the walkable, compact, equitable communities that are the key land use element needed to put cities on a more sustainable path. A balanced transportation and circulation network is the critical complement to ensure these communities are successful. One cannot work without the other.

A robust network includes modes that serve all residents, shoppers, students, delivery workers and others who need to circulate. These include: safe and complete walking and biking systems; roadways sized to complement the people spaces; carefully managed parking to encourage use of alternative modes of transportation while also providing critical spaces for local residents; and frequent, attractive transit connections to other parts of the urban area.

While these are the main circulation elements, there needs to be enough flexibility in how they are constructed and managed for other modes to emerge, such as autonomous electric vehicles. This mode will very likely disrupt the way we get around in the future. For instance, it could make the need for parking obsolete and, if serving a local community purpose, enable seamless travel between a transit stop and someone鈥檚 final destination (solving the first mile/last mile problem). However, if allowed to become just a substitute for our existing automobile fleet, they would contribute to continued sprawl and increased congestion.

A city composed of communities with these transportation and land use characteristics can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect and enhance natural areas, and provide a more robust setting for the physical, mental and emotional health of its residents. In addition, if the city also featured these communities at different scales with differing built and natural characteristics, it would provide multiple attractive urban environments that could reduce the economic disparities between downtown and its 鈥渢rendier鈥� neighborhoods and other areas.