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Want to Build a Perfect 21st Century Town? Ban Cars

The community of Culdesac, Arizona, was designed for pedestrians and cyclists. And residents love it.

The unit I rented during my stay was a typical Culdesac one-bedroom: dark vinyl floors, comfortable furniture, ample natural light, two smart TVs, a modern kitchen with a large island that looked like it had been installed by the host of an HGTV show. One resident, who has lived at Culdesac for nearly a year and wanted to remain anonymous, was especially critical, rattling off a list of grievances: a neighbor’s toilet broke and was unusable for a month; the obnoxious ongoing construction; and pipe leaks in the apartments. Speck, the author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, told me that Culdesac’s layout, unburdened by municipal decree to include parking, was the major distinction.

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