Sprawled Out: The Search for Community in the American Suburb: President Obama: "The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over"

February 12, 2009

President Obama: "The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over"

Once again, ample evidence that the right guy got elected.

President Obama: "The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over":

At the president's town hall meeting in Fort Myers, Florida, earlier today, he gave a clear statement about where the country needs to go with regard to land use and transportation:

"Now, look, this is America. We always had the best infrastructure. We were always willing to invest in the future. Governor Crist mentioned Abraham Lincoln. In the middle of the Civil War, in the midst of all this danger and peril, what did he do? He helped move the intercontinental railroad. He helped start land grant colleges. He understood that even when you're in the middle of crisis, you've got to keep your eye on the future. So transportation is not just fixing our old transportation systems but its also imaging new transportation systems.

"That's why I'd like to see high speed rail where it can be constructed. That's why I would like to invest in mass transit because potentially that's energy efficient and I think people are alot more open now to thinking regionally in terms of how we plan our transportation infrastructure. The days where we're just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody recognizes that that's not a smart way to build communities. So we should be using this money to help spur this kind of innovative thinking when it comes to transportation. That will make a big difference."