The Benefits of Compact, Mixed Use Development

This report looks at the effects of sprawling development patterns on resource costs like roads, public services, and real estate development, as well as personal costs like travel miles, quality of life, and urban decline. The authors created a 50-state cost projection by increasing density 20% and non-residential FAR by 10% and estimated the necessary infrastructure costs. When compared to a projection without density and FAR modifications, the controlled growth model with greater density had significantly lower costs. It also features a section discussing possible policy responses to sprawl.