All this week the LA Times will print a running debate between Robert Bruegmann and Gloria Ohland on the topic of urban sprawl and the future of America’s urban landscapes. Drawing from his groundbreaking book, Sprawl: A Compact History, Bruegmann overturns many of the common assumptions about America’s rapidly expanding suburbs, arguing for the sometimes overlooked benefits of this popular form of urban development. On the other side of the fence, Gloria Ohland, vice president for communications for Reconnecting America—a non-profit organization that promotes best practices in transit-oriented development—responds with an interesting counter argument for higher-density development centered around public transportation. Check out the LA Times website for the first installment of this fascinating debate.
Read an excerpt from Sprawl: a Compact History.