How Sustainable Transportation Drives Sustainable Cities
In America, social and physical mobility has historically been linked with transportation innovation and urban development. Before cars, individuals traveled in groups on boats, trains, or trollies, so early urban planning shaped foot traffic to move through concentrated commercial areas, popularizing the “downtown” area.
In the early 20th century, economic growth was fueled by a new workforce that had just returned from many years at war. People were looking to settle down in the suburbs, ready to own a home and start a family. By the 1950’s, the car became something not of luxury, but of necessity—a symbol of freedom, of the American Dream.
With the normalization of car ownership, cars were an integral part of one’s identity. 16-year-olds wanted one as a sign of independence and working adults wanted one as a sign of wealth and status. Owning a functioning car was inexplicably linked to one’s economic and social mobility because it enabled one to work in a metropolitan area while still living that American suburbia dream.


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