A poll was conducted earlier this year by California State University in Sacramento which found that the main concern of the population was the rising cost of gas. The poll also found that 12% of citizens that had taken part in the poll had moved or changed jobs in order to illuminate or at least cut down their daily commute.
In a previous article we talked about how young families and singles are moving closer to the city where they can walk to work, easily ride a bike or even utilize convenient public transportation systems and do anything but drive. However, planners are starting to see the need for condensed communities that may even lie outside of the major cities. These 'junior cities' are built in order to shave away commute time and make the necessities of life more easily accessible.
Roseville is northeast of Sacramento and is quickly becoming a haven for those tired of being behind the wheel so much. A small development, it's specifically designed as a "village square" and includes restaurants and shops. A school is close by and the grocery store is within biking distance. There is a wonderful sense of community here with all of the houses placed comfortably close together. Neighbors actually talk to each other and have intermingling social lives.
Office parks used to be lonely places. Cold, concrete monstrosities, taking up space in serene little areas that nobody ever really visited outside of work. Now, junior cities are starting to build around them, and as in Roseville the commerce is following suit, giving employees an incentive to move away from secluded 'burbs.
Thanks to junior cities, the suburbs are growing up.