Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Americans driving even less...again....

Well, it happened again. According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the amount of Americans driving in May 2008 (compared to May 2007) dropped 3.7%, or roughly 9.6 billion miles. This figure will likely increase again in June, a month that saw the national gas average hit around $4.10.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: nothing will help urban revitalization more than the increase in gasoline prices. The suburban model of development is predicated around cheap energy so you can drive large distances from one aspect of life (such as housing) to another (office, malls, etc). Cheap energy is a thing of the past. People want, and need, to live in areas that are close to each other.

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