Urban Planning & Design - The core issue in urban design is walkability, which has been a focus of city planning for thousands of years, but is often neglected in North America due to a disconnect between planners and residents' needs [6][7][8] - Car dependency negatively impacts safety and comfort, contributing to a lack of independent mobility for children and a young driving age, despite the fact that vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death for young people in the US [13][14] - The rise of suburbs in the 1950s, driven by the baby boom and post-World War II desires for space and safety, has led to car-dependent communities with significant flaws [11][12] - Mixed-use developments, like Chinatown, which integrate residential and commercial spaces, are common in Europe and Asia but rare in North America, offering a unique character and identity to a city [23] - The concept of induced demand suggests that building more roads actually increases traffic, as people shift to driving due to perceived convenience [32][33] Historical Context & Visionary Ideas - Walt Disney's original concept for Epcot was intended to revolutionize city design by prioritizing pedestrians and creating a central commercial district with underground transportation [18][20] - Victor Gruin, the inventor of shopping malls, originally envisioned them as community-building spaces similar to European shop-lined streets, but his vision was altered to focus on consumerism [25][26][27] Solutions & Future Vision - The industry should focus on creating cities that are safe, useful, comfortable, and interesting, as highlighted in the book "Walkable City" [10] - The industry should consider implementing one or two-way roads with integrated bike lanes, ample crosswalks, and transit lanes connecting the city center to surrounding residential areas [35] - The industry should promote mixed-use streets with locally-owned businesses to create unique character and reduce the need for driving [22][24] Transportation & Mobility - In the 1950s, over 50% of students walked to school, compared to less than 13% today, highlighting the decline in pedestrian-friendly infrastructure [15]