AUTOMOBILES, THE ENVIRONMENT AND METROPOLITAN SPATIAL STRUCTURE

More than 20 years ago, in a conference on Cities, Regions and Public Policy held at the University of Glasgow, a basic theme emerged that negative externalities should not be addressed or other urban problems that tamper with city sizes. Rather, these externalities should be handled via direct policies. This paper argues a variation of that theme--it is not efficient to correct these negative externalities via attempts to change metropolitan spatial structure. More specifically, trying to put suburbanization and decentralization in reverse is not a sound strategy for reducing air pollution levels. Discussions focus on suburbanization and air quality, air pollution and urban form, jobs-housing balance, congestion pricing and air quality, and emissions technology and control.