Sprawl does not mean a spread-out, rural area. Rural areas don't really have traffic problems in the way that metro areas do. Even suburbs of small cities don

Sprawl does not mean a spread-out, rural area. Rural areas don't really have traffic problems in the way that metro areas do. Even suburbs of small cities don't have traffic problems on the same scale as major cities like NY, Atlanta, DC, LA, and Chicago. Traffic problems happen in dense, economically active areas. You have hundreds of thousands of people trying to move through the region every single day and that is what leads to the traffic jams. Sure, Kansas City is pleasantly spread out. Driving and parking there is very easy. But KC is also very small compared to most of the metro areas with serious traffic problems. Incidentally, food and grocery selection in the city where I live is vastly superior. Within a half-mile I have Trader Joes, Whole Foods and a standard supermarket (which caters to a much more diverse population to begin with) in addition to a number of specialty and ethnic markets. There's a farmer's market every Saturday right down the street. Also in close walking distance: Best Buy, REI, Bed Bath & Beyond, Blick Art Supplies, several bicycle shops. There's even a store that sells vinyl records. I walk to work. I have a car. I use it for groceries sometimes but not often. I never have a problem finding parking at the supermarket or at home. (parking anywhere else is dicey, though)