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3 MYTH <br />FACT <br />Higher-density development generates less traffic than low-density development <br />per unit; it makes walking and public transit more feasible and creates opportunities <br />for shared parking. <br />Higher-density development creates more regional traffic congestion <br />and parking problems than low-density development. <br />16 Higher-Density Development <br />Most people assume that higher-density development generates more traffic than low- <br />density development and that regional traffic will get worse with more compact devel- <br />opment. In fact, the opposite is true. Although residents of low-density single-family <br />communities tend to have two or more cars per household, residents of high-density <br />apartments and condominiums tend to have only one car per household.23 And according to one <br />study using data from the National Personal Transportation Survey, doubling density decreases the <br />vehicle miles traveled by 38 percent.24 <br />Mockingbird Station <br />The residents of Mockingbird Station in Dallas, Texas, are far <br />less dependent on their cars, because they have a whole host <br />of amenities at their doorstep. Dallas developer Ken Hughes <br />partnered with Denver-based Simpson Housing Group to <br />create the ten-acre pedestrian-oriented urban village, which <br />includes 216 loft apartments, an eight-screen film center and <br />café, more than 90 shops and restaurants, offices, an enclosed <br />public plaza, and parking, all directly linked to the Dallas Area <br />Rapid Transit (DART) light-rail system. Mockingbird Station <br />provides direct platform access to DART trains, which offer <br />residents an eight-minute commute to Dallas’s central <br />business district and a single train connection to the Dallas <br />Convention Center, Reunion Arena, and other downtown entertainment. The new village is also immediately adjacent <br />to the campus of Southern Methodist University and within walking distance of the university’s new stadium and <br />sports center. RTKL created architecture reminiscent of historic train stations but with a modern twist to the materials <br />and detailing. Although only limited driving is necessary, a parking garage is provided but placed out of sight and <br />underground. The myriad materials, architectural styles, and amenities create a vibrant transit-oriented community. <br />PROFILE <br />Residents of Mockingbird <br />Station can leave their cars <br />in the garage and take an <br />eight-minute train ride to <br />downtown Dallas; they can <br />also walk to shops, offices, <br />and a movie theater. <br />UC <br />URBAN