Designing Cities With Youth in Mind

The car-centric design of many U.S. cities traps young people at home, preventing them from engaging in social activities and urban life.

1 minute read

November 16, 2023, 9:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Group of children running outdoors toward camera.

JackF / Adobe Stock

In an opinion piece published in Congress for New Urbanism’s Public Square, high school senior Rahul Rejeev argues that “The lack of effective transit, coupled with the lack of kid-friendly destinations and the feeling of more dangerous neighborhoods, means that today’s youth find it harder than ever to go outside, meet up with friends, and form more meaningful relationships.”

The American reliance on the personal automobile particularly impacts young people, many of whom face barriers that prevent them from getting their licenses or buying cars even when they’re old enough. “Lack of mobility coupled with large distances means that kids are far from the places where they want to hang out,” isolating them from social and economic opportunities. “Public transport is the only guaranteed way for a young person to be free and enjoy mobility,” Rejeev writes.

For Rejeev, zoning reform, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and efficient public transit are not just ways to curb carbon emissions and reduce car dependency, but also significant ways to improve the lives of young people.

Monday, November 13, 2023 in CNU Public Square

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Blue train on coastal rail in Southern California.

SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line

Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.

March 7 - The New York Times

Woman and two children sit on bench at public transit stop waiting for tram with stroller next to them.

Are Mobility Hubs Child-Friendly?

‘Mobility hubs’ aim to make urban travel easier by connecting travel modes. Adding more services could make them more accessible and useful to women and families.

March 7 - Streetsblog USA

Rendering of blue and white light rail train passing next to tree-shaded walkway with pedestrians in Austin, Texas.

Austin’s Project Connect Funding Safe for 2025

The light rail project is moving ahead with plans to finalize its environmental impact review by late 2025.

March 7 - Smart Cities Dive