JAPA article on New Urbanism

The August 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Planning Association included an article by Hollie Lund, called “Testing the Claims of New Urbanism: Local Access, Pedestrian Travel, and Neighboring Behaviors.” Lund surveys eight neighborhoods — four in cities, four in suburban areas, and makes the following statement: “One can conclude from the findings presented here that there is some credibility to at least two claims of smart growth or New Urbanism: (1) when combined with pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, locating everyday amenities such as parks and retail shops within a neighborhood can increase pedestrian travel and neighbor interaction within a community, and (2) people who walk around their neighborhood are more likely to interact with and form relationships with their neighbors. This study also indicates, however, that personal variables such as demographics, attitudes, and perceptions of the local environment are also important factors.