4 ms·

I think this is probably oversimplifying a bit. Most big north American cities also predate cars, even if not by much. By my understanding, many of those cities

I think this is probably oversimplifying a bit. Most big north American cities also predate cars, even if not by much. By my understanding, many of those cities had public transportation systems in place that were outright dismantled in the drive to a car-centric urban design. So I don't think it's a matter of never having had it. It seems like we have actually regressed.

mc32 10y ago
It does simplify it a bit, but consider that the pop for US cities ramped up after the turn of the 20th c. (in 1900 it was approx. 70% rural 30% urban, by 1940 it was 55% urban vs 45% rural) So when they grew cars were becoming more ubiquitous. We also have different land-use regs which affect how land can be used. Mass transit has to be understood in terms of how it allows spread. Buses allow people to commute rather than walk. Trolleys, cars, horses and subways do the same. Some of those trolley lines were put in place to make the new developments attractive to people who would have to work in the city center. As cars become more available fewer people opted for trolleys and they got pulled (some people believe the GM-LA deal for buses lead to the demise of all trolleys, but I think that's more wishful thinking. However, trolleys then, as today, are relatively expensive to run and investors are better off making money elsewhere.