Traffic and Safety in Tomorrow's Urban Areas

Abstract

This article is a view of urban communities and their growth after the full impact of the current National High way Program is felt. Future growth will be split between the existing urban areas and new locations in rural areas activated by interstate routes. A tendency toward lower densities and the desire for unscheduled movement will favor use of the auto mobile. A pattern of new growth will be the result of a guided development process. New methods of harmonizing land uses will obviate the necessity of rigid segregation of land uses re sulting in concentration of traffic generators. More even dis tribution of the latter will mean lower peak load on highways. Design features of expressways, making their high speed safe, will be utilized in the gradual development of other highways concurrently with development of land. Wide right-of-ways will make it possible. Expansion of the existing urban areas will be somewhat along the same lines. Old cities will be in the process of orderly replanning and rebuilding of their older sections which are relentlessly growing obsolete. Modern de sign will assure safe movement in rebuilt areas. With some new features of design, provisions for off-street parking, and with regulations based upon a better knowledge of the human being, safe and rapid movement of people may be attained with out undue restraint of liberty.