The key to creating smart growth is having a high density area where people can walk, easily go in and out of shops and enjoy where they are. The smart growth environment is healthier because of how easy it is to walk around, it saves money due to less gas being used, and it is safer as there are not as many cars and therefor not as many accidents. In an urban sprawl area there is low density and it is very reliant on the automobile making it unhealthier and less safe. Urban sprawl areas also have isolated neighborhoods and isolated shopping and are typically not as pleasant to be in.
Americans began to leave subdivisions in the 1950s in search of the American dream. Having a single family home, large back yards, and a family car to drive to town in. American were able to leave the city because factories and business began to develop outside the city which created jobs for people and enable them to move. Automobiles also play a large role in why people could move outside the city. When you can drive it is no longer necessary to live close enough to work or stores to be able to walk to them. As areas around cities began to develop problems started to arise. Problems with the environment, Americans health, our lifestyles and our quality of life. In the 1970's some cities such as Portland Oregon and the Twin Cities began to take steps towards smart growth.
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