overview 

Since the dawn of civilization, transportation has been the the most influential factor in the process of the development of urban culture. The birth of the railway revolutionized the way we live in modern society. The private car took that one step further — but with the new found independence and ability to travel long distances easily, planning took into consideration that people no longer needed to live near schools, shops, doctors, trains, or even work — removing us from our communities and replacing our need for social interaction with consumerism.

Where we once  embraced vital interaction in our small town neighbourhoods we now find ourselves dependent on our automobiles to connect us with most basic fundamentals of living. As the suburbs surrounding major city centres explode in population, the basic infrastructure must evolve to meet and exceed the needs of the new communities. The approach to Urban Planning in the 21st century has to be looked at in a completely different light if we are to provide ourselves and our children with a rich quality of life that embraces our natural heritage, health, local economies, small business and need for social interaction. This will only be achieved by reducing our dependence on the automobile.