New Urbanism, of course, focuses on tight little communities with a central hub (village green) and business district within easy walking distance of the residential homes. It is the antithesis of urban sprawl and the car culture and really a return to small town America.

New development is one thing, but many homes and workplaces are deep in the sprawl. Those ?EUR??,,????'??mistakes?EUR??,,????'?? aren?EUR??,,????'???t going to be reconciled any time soon.

The National Realtors Association reports realtors are finding it difficult to find prospects even willing to look at homes in the distant burbs, and that homes in cities or the nearby suburbs are selling faster and holding their value or appreciating.

For the suburb communities, mass transit is a must. Light rail is proliferating?EUR??,,????'??+in San Francisco (see ?EUR??,,????'??Take the T-Line?EUR??,,????'?? on p. 52), Salt Lake, Minneapolis, Denver and coming soon to Houston. That?EUR??,,????'???s a great start.

Mass transit and light rail usage is strongly up. The Trinity Railway Express, the commuter line between Dallas-Fort Worth had 251,000 riders in June, 31,000 more than in May and nearly 45,000 more than in June 2007.

What goes around comes around, it?EUR??,,????'???s said. The car industry orchestrated the demise of rail travel. Will the price of gas give rebirth to the rails?