"Livability" in Rural America

Photo Caption: Cities and towns of all sizes should be "livable"

The term livability has become a national buzz word over the course of the last two years, in large part, due to efforts at the federal level -- a series of federal agencies have been working to coordinate spending to help create what they are calling more livable communities. Although there is no single definition of the term livable, the common thread is that livable communities provide a high quality of life for all residents and include spaces that are designed for people (for example, a historic main street), not just cars and quick commerce (for example, a big box strip mall).

As the livable communities movement has grown, a common misconception has developed that "livability" is solely a concept for big cities and urban areas. In fact, livability is a universal concept that can and should be adjusted to capitalize on the unique assets of all communities, whether they are urban, suburban, or rural. To dispel the idea that livability is an urban concept, Transportation for America has been publishing a series of case studies that showcase livability in rural and small town America. We encourage you to peruse these case studies and share them with your community leadership, especially if you happen to live in a small town or a rural area.

Check out the Transportation for America case studies here:
http://t4america.org/blog/2010/08/26/livability-in-rural-and-small-town-america/