I recently caught this article from The Atlantic, The Devastating Impact of 30 Years of Sprawl, As Seen From Space.
Pretty crazy stuff, huh?
Sprawl is one of those things that happen so gradually it is hard to notice in your day-to-day life. This article shows the use of GIF’s just what is happening not only in the United States but in locations around the world.
I am not saying that development is bad, OVER development is bad. Poor planning is bad. As long as development incorporates appropriate urban scale and form, diversity of land use and good engineering design to achieve a balance between the interests of the individual, the community and the natural and built environments all should be well.
Sustainability also comes to mind. Specifically the idea that, “Infrastructure systems must be designed to protect the natural environment and withstand both natural and man-made hazards, using sustainable practices, to ensure that future generations can use and enjoy what we build today, as we have benefited from past generations”. That comes straight from the Key Solutions section of the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.
I know the civil engineers that I work with keep to those principals, let’s hope every does the world over.