Urban Sprawl Solutions for Colorado Springs

I enjoyed reading about the various solutions to the problem of urban sprawl in Colorado in the case study of Chapter Eleven. As I read the solutions, I thought about which solutions I would prefer. I think that either the urban villages or the Northeast-Southeast extensions would be best. Urban villages would create nice suburbs around Colorado Springs. For people worried about air quality, urban villages could be beneficial because since the residential and commercial areas of the towns would be very close, there would be much less of a need for driving. Most commodities could be reached by walking or bike-riding, so there would be decreased auto-emissions. Furthermore, it seems that this option would be minimally invasive to the ecologically sensitive spaces, since the areas that would be developed are already “new-growth areas in the suburbs”. The other solution that I like would be that of the Northeast-Southeast extensions. This option also seems to be more environmentally friendly to the area, since it avoids expansion to the east, where the ecologically sensitive spaces are. I like this solution because it reduces urban sprawl by keeping the growth more contained, and in line with already developed areas. Also, there is a good diversity in the housing market, since the northeastern houses could be focused on serving the wealthier people that wish to move into the area, while the southeastern houses could be more affordable for everyone.