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Smart Growth for Rhode Island ~ RhodeMap RI
We are used to thinking about America as the land of opportunity, but "...there is growing evidence that intergenerational income mobility in the U.S. is actually lower than in many other developed countries..…" (Source: Equality of Opportunity Project, Summary of Project Findings, July, 2013)
"Stranded by Sprawl" is the theme of Paul Krugman's op-ed in the NY Times on July 28, 2013. Recent research finds a correlation between spread-out development and difficulty for people with fewer resources to move up the economic ladder. When jobs are not concentrated in urban centers but instead scatter to the suburbs, it makes an effective public transit system more difficult and expensive to support, increases commuting time, and increases the need for automobiles. The result is that if a family does not have a dependable car, they cannot get to work or have to spend 2 or more hours getting to and from work. Cars are expensive to maintain and run. How can people "get ahead" if they cannot get to where the jobs are or have to spend too much time and money just to get to a job? As Krugman concludes, "….this observation clearly reinforces the case for policies that help families function without multiple cars."
Although Rhode Island has its share of suburban sprawl, we have an excellent opportunity to reverse the trend. As the second most densely populated state (after New Jersey), Rhode Island's compactness gives us a better chance than most U.S. metropolitan areas to implement smart growth policies.
The RI Division of Planning is using a federal grant to gather practical ideas to address the systemic problems that are holding back our state's economy. Next week, there is a series of open houses for Rhode Islanders to voice their views and learn about how smart growth can turn our state into a prosperous community. Sign up at the RhodeMap RI site and contribute your ideas. Here are some questions to answer:
- If you could change one thing about Rhode Island, what would it be?
- How can we make Rhode Island a globally competitive place to work and run a business?
The open houses are in Woonsocket, Bristol, URI Kingston, and East Providence, August 5-8. Of course you will find them in What Grows On in RI, and I hope some of my readers will go! It is going to take all of us to make Rhode Island work for everybody.
There are 24 days left to contribute ideas!
[From browsing my Twitter feed and clicking through to Grow Smart RI's recent newsletter.]