| 1. Jobs Sprawl --According to a new report released by the Brookings Institution,since 1998, almost every major American metro area has seen a drop in the share of employment located downtown as jobs have increasingly moved into farther-out suburbs, exacerbating "job sprawl." Between 1998 and 2006, 95 out of 98 metro areas analyzed in this report saw a decrease in the share of jobs located within three miles of downtown, even though the number of jobs in all 98 metros rose during that period. According to the report, the decentralization of employment can undermine the economic health of cities and regions in many ways. It can boost energy consumption, add to the costs of building infrastructure for businesses that locate far from the urban core, increase commuting times, reduce innovation by lessening opportunities for firms to interact and exchange ideas, and isolate low-income and minority workers in the urban core from employment opportunities in outlying areas.
2. CT's Changing Landscape -- The Center for Land Use Education and Research has an amazing collection of data, charts and maps detailing the the changing landscape of CT from 1985 to 2006. In that time, the footprint of development increased 218 square miles. I really urge you to check out the web site. It actually contains static maps and area statistics for all 169 municipalities in Connecticut.
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