Japan gets it - Cities and not suburbs

Now and then, I think about the Baby Boomer generation. As we all know, the retirement phase has just begun. That, in conjunction with ever-increasing human lifespans, as well as ever-increasing suburban sprawl can mean only one thing: zillions of elderly drivers on the roads.

Looking past the inevitable “farmers market” jokes, aging is a serious matter - heck, even Microsoft has a full site devoted to it: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/aging/

All the time you see articles or letters to the editor saying that… well… gosh, perhaps we should restrict, even ban, some senior citizens from driving because of their physical changes that prevent them from driving safely.

And everytime one of those letters or articles appears, inevitably you will see a backlash, with heartfelt please such as “Take away my car and I will die” or “Driving is my independence.”

They’re right. How will our seniors go get food when they live in a cul-de-sac in a a cul-de-sac in a cul-de-sac? How will a 110 year old get to the local Walgreens or Rite Aid to get their high blood pressure medication? How will they live, without depending on others or their children.

And then I noticed this article tonight:

Graying Japan to crack down on big suburban stores to halt urban flight - Yahoo! News

Japan will try to stop the building of big shopping centers and hospitals in suburbs in hopes of halting the exodus from city centres before the population begins to shrink, officials said.

With fewer Japanese having children, the government worries that suburban sprawl could pose environmental and ultimately economic hazards unless it is stopped.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport would together submit legislation before parliament next year to tighten regulations against large new commercial and public facilities in suburbs, a trade ministry official said.

Bingo. The key is to develop with planning, and build efficiently. The Japanese have got it right. You have to condense and consolidate.

Here’s another quote:

“Considering the shrinking population over the course of time, gathering city functions in a smaller area, rather than letting them spread to surrounding areas, is economically cheaper when constructing infrastructure,” he said.

Ever notice that at night, all the 6-8 lane streets (yes, streets), 8-10 lane highways/freeways are empty? Getting worn away by the rain/snow/ice/wind? Or that we need roads to go from parking lot to parking? And then we wonder why the potholes never get filled, and why there’s never enough money to maintain all the roads. The basic fact of the matter is that we often forget that each inch of road we build, will require an infinite number of dollars to maintain if it is to survive for eternity.

And just remember… zillions of elderly drivers on the road, going to Walgreens to get their high blood pressure medication. It could be you some day.