> To artificially build denser by policy doesn't produce opportunities - those opportunities would have to be there first! Density is an effective way of subst

> To artificially build denser by policy doesn't produce opportunities - those opportunities would have to be there first! Density is an effective way of substituting for transport speed, which is the binding constraint on many opportunities. The number of coffee shops I can choose to visit on my 15 minute break after stand up is limited by the density of the urban environment, for a given mode of transport. Many public, private and social enterprises have this dynamic. A police station needs to be within a certain travel distance of the outskirts of their community to be useful, likewise a supermarket or nightclub. There is an argument that, at a certain extreme point, density might have such a negative impact on transport speed that it might increase transit time. I'm personally split on this issue. Density definitely hurts motor vehicle speed but has little effect on walking speed and might even improve rail speed.