Sustainable Migration to the Urban West

Abstract

:Over the past few decades, urban areas of the American West have experienced some of the highest population growth rates in the country. To manage the attendant impacts on housing, transportation, and quality of life, some cities have diverged from the low-density “sprawl” model of postwar urban development, and instead have attempted to manage spatial growth, increase density in downtown cores, use alternative transportation options, and protect the natural environment. These cities, in contrast to their counterparts in the Southwest and Sun Belt, could provide critical lessons for urban theorists and planners on how cities can adapt and thrive in a century that may be dominated by economic and, increasingly, ecological concerns. Using demographic data and journalistic reportage to address both macro- and micro-scale shifts in these cities, this article seeks to use and supplement the growing literature on smart growth and sustainable development by examining four cities in the American West—Seattle, Portland (Oregon), Salt Lake City, and Denver—to gauge how transit, smart growth, and an emphasis on quality of life, outdoor recreation, and environmental health can lead to sustainable population and economic growth.

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