It's just too expensive.
When I speak about mixed zoning, such as local businesses opening up in their own neighborhoods, people often say, "Well, I'd never go to my local grocer store. I'm not going to pay the premium price of groceries when I can drive down 10-15 minutes down to Smiths.". It's myopic and car centric blindness that leads us to think this way. We don't understand the premium that we pay for the car, and it's enforced infrastructure. The cost for a car infrastructure is at least 5X the price to both our pocket book and health than paying a little higher grocery bill, and public transit.
Cars and the Premium we Pay
If Utah made the transition to car independence over dependence, and allowed mixed zoning with more public transit, we may feel little need to pay for gas or for a car. Rather than having two or three cars in Suburbia to function (One for the husband, one for the wife, and one for the the upcoming teenager), families may decide they only need one family car if at all, and more for recreation than anything else. Not only does the lowered demand for cars reduce the price of gas, the expense disappears on the American wallet. The average American spends about 10,000 for their cars a year. That includes gas, insurance, maintenance, tolls, cleaning, parking, registration, carseats, ect. And that's for only one car. For reference, the average American pays about 5,000 dollars a year on groceries. If we simply had environments that negated the necessity for a car and we stopped driving half as much, the premium on gas, versus the premium tacked on to some of your local businesses would save the Average Utahn thousands of dollars.
Car Injury
Car and pedestrian death and injury are a high price that we pay for the car. In 2021 Utah, there were 332 fatalities and 26,437 injuries in our 3 million population state. Depending on the severity of the injury, that's a lot of expensive chiropractic visits, and a pricey medical intervention. It's a risk and a heavy financial burden we take every time we drive to the bank. Or worse still, funeral expenses. The car sometimes forces us to pay tens of thousands of dollars with a lifetime of sorrow or chronic pain. For perspective, there were 22 train deaths in all of Switzerland last year, population 8 million, with one of the most expansive train systems in Europe. Mixed zoning relieves people of needing a car, which also puts less poor drivers on the road, because only those who want to drive, and are good at driving, are on the road. Win for everyone.
Gym membership and Diabetes?
Then there's the indirect premium. Because our car infrastructure creates such a sedentary lifestyle, many of us pay to exercise. Many drive themselves to expensive gyms, just so they can take care of themselves. For those, who aren't nearly as ambitious or wealthy, our health falls through the cracks if we aren't deliberate, and we now have to pay the premium of fixing diseases that that could have been prevented. Mixed zoning relieves and eliminates many of these problems, as physical exercise in built into the system, and you're far less likely to become insulin resistant if you aren't sitting in rush hour traffic day after day.
Mental Health
There's also the cost of mental health. Our car infrastructure is incredibly isolating, and damaging. We feel it and see it all around us. Our ancestors knew how to make cities, villages and towns before cars. Community was crucial in such difficult environments. This is critical to the mental health of Utahns and our children. We need to bring back our communities and have mixed zoning with walkability, cycling and public transport. We must keep cars out of these areas as much as possible, as they take up valuable space, are loud, and dangerous for children.
Entertainment
We pay a lot for entertainment. There's very little to do without a car in car infrastructure, especially in family suburbia, so it becomes important that people have every online subscription they can afford. Because people are often bored in their own neighborhoods, they spend it on gas to leave and participate in other pricier activities.
Public Transit
If the community at large prefers public transit and walkability, not only does it get faster, easier, and more convenient to get places, it's just far less expensive in the long run. Over time, these infrastructures start building a profit for the state at large, creating prosperity and jobs in the community. Rather than roads, which make no profit (unless you start paying tolls for your daily commute)They steal land, beauty, time and peace from the community over time.
We value convenience and low expenses. But that's not the only thing Utahns value. There are a surprising amount of factors that determine what we buy and why we buy. If we allow mixed zoning, there are other factors, besides expense that local businesses can compete with, even if they appear to be a little more "expensive".
The Free... Market?
Due to Suburban zoning.. do we really have a free market? I would argue, no. We talk a lot about the free market, but we have limited our free market by not allowing mixed zoning. Small grocery stores in local neighborhoods aren't capable of competing with corporate companies because they have nothing to offer in the metropolitan part of town, which is the only allowed zoning. They are smaller and more expensive. Is it really a free market if zoning enforces competing next to the multi mega franchise? Those are what dominate most Utah cities right now. Only the elite and wealthy are essentially "allowed" to compete.
Convenience.
Boy do Americans love convenience. Many times, we'll pay the premium, just for convenience and we often do. Things such as DoorDash, grocery delivery subscriptions, meal prep boxes have risen in popularity, often doubling the price for food. Anything to ease the time and mental burden of driving. Even when their local Cup-Bop is only 10 minutes away. If people had the option of biking or taking the tram to their local grocery store in 5-7 minutes through their beautiful neighborhood over driving 10-20 minutes to their corporate "cheaper" grocery story in an ugly and loud part of town: I find it difficult to believe this would not be appealing to many people. What's cheaper, my time? My stress levels? My health? Or a couple of cents more for apples.
Beauty
It's not a secret that parking lots are the opposite of beauty and class. Nobody wants to hang out in a parking lot. They want to escape that environment as quickly as possible. Due to local businesses dealing with more foot traffic, you don't have to deal with the hustle and bustle of cars, parking lots, ugly asphalt and noise. In fact, these places can be incredibly well designed, green, and beautiful if done right. Adding to the charm of your commute and the peace in your life.
Fresh Ingredients
These local grocery stores can import fresher ingredients from the communities around them and not need to be shipped from all over the world. In mixed zoning, a neighbor can sell his excess eggs to the local grocer, a mother can export from her 3 peach trees, and share them with the neighborhood in season. Individuals are not being wasteful, making a little extra cash, creating a culture of community. "Can't wait until Miss Smith's pears to come into season." Local farmers can contribute to fresh ingredients, spices and produce through accessible travel vans. Grocers can make up the difference with heftier orders. Healthier living, better quality food.
Choice paralysis
If you question whether or not people are exhausted by the mega corporate grocery store, just look at the rising popularity of grocery delivery and meal prep boxes. Corporate super markets will always exist, as well as the 7 different brands of Oreos you can buy. This is miraculous but for an increasingly amount of Americans, also overwhelming and exhausting. It's nice that American ingenuity has created 300 different types of candy to consume. However, it's also healthy to have environments where we are not constantly bombarded with every choice imaginable. This helps our mental health, our physical health and our pocket books. For average weekly and daily living, your local grocer or butcher is sufficient. For big monthly trips, Costco is still that 20 minute drive (Or more hopefully, easily accessed by public transit by train, tram or bus).
Is is Really a Premium?
America spends a lot of money on this car habit of ours, sometimes with dire consequences and bills. What if we created cities that were just... livable? Without the car? Maybe it wouldn't be such a premium after all. Maybe we'd up happier, healthier, and a little more money in our pockets.
