A national urban culture, spreading amoeba-like over open land, plastic–seemingly shapeless–in its form, fluid at its boundaries, and in its cellular structure capable of infinite reproduction. An urban way of life so intricate in its design and interdependencies that it will be extremely resistant and in some respects immune to frontal efforts to plan and order it. This is an esoteric set of propositions to have to explain, let alone defend. They relate to the outer and inner dimensions of urban life, the physical shell and the essential character. Beyond generalities, there are two specifics which need doing: One is a thought job. The City has not just grown bigger than its boundaries–it has outgrown the concept and vocabulary of the city itself. The distinction, at least in this country, has been blotted out between agricultural and urban life; television, the automobile, and the agricultural revolution have taken care of that.
SITUATIONS ARE DISCUSSED WHERE HUMAN VALUES AND TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES COLLIDE. THERE WOULD BE NO CONFLICTS OF VALUES WITH TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES IF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPLIED: (1) IF A TRANSPORTATION FACILITY WERE BUILT ON OPEN LAND THAT IS OTHERWISE UNUSABLE, (2) THAT LAND WERE SOLD AT HALF THE PRICE THE PUBLIC EXPECTS TO PAY AND TWICE WHAT THE SELLERS EXPECTED TO GET, (3) THE FACILITY EXTENDED BETWEEN TWO POINTS WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO, AT TWICE THE FORMER SPEED AND HALF THE FORMER TRAFFIC, (4) IT IS BUILT BY CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE NO POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT AND BY ENGINEERS TRAINED AS SOCIOLOGISTS ON BUDGETS THAT PROVIDE FOR ALL THE EXTRAS AND DO NOT REQUIRE TOOLS OR TAXES, AND (5) IT INSURES THAT BOTH THE INCUMBENTS AND THE OPPONENTS ARE GOING TO WIN IN THE NEXT ELECTION. THE TWO VALUES THAT SEEM TO BE FELT MOST BY ALL ARE MOBILITY AND STABILITY. THESE ARE DISCUSSED FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. ACHIEVING STABILITY HAS BECOME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IN THE NATION'S GHETTOS BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TRANSPORTATION ROUTES THROUGH THESE AREAS. THE NATURE OF SOCIETY HAS CHANGED FROM THAT OF MASS PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONSUMPTION OF MATERIALS GOODS AS THE BASIS OF PLANNING COMMUNITIES AND CITIES. A SERVICE CITY IS THE RESULT OF THIS TYPE OF PLANNING. TRANSPORTATION PLANNING MUST BE COORDINATED WITH THE PLANNING OF HOUSING, RELOCATION, COMMUNITY VALUES AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING. CENTRALIZATION MIGHT BE MADE NATIONALLY OF THE PROBLEMS OF MOBILITY, HOUSING, COMMUNITY BUILDING, MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT PATTERNS. INCOME MAINTENANCE IS SUGGESTED AS A RADICAL SOLUTION. ZONING APPEARS TO FOSTER SEGREGATION IN REGIONAL PLANNING. A MASTER PLAN SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED VALID UNLESS IT MAKES PROVISION FOR HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT AND DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE.
