The Journal of San Diego History
SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
Fall 1989, Volume 35, Number 4
Thomas L. Scharf, Editor

Book Notes

Raymond Starr, Book Review Editor

Transit, Land Use & Urban Form.

Edited by Wayne Attoe. Austin: Center for the Study of American Architecture, School of Architecture, University of Texas, 1998. Photographs. Charts. 212 Pages. Price Unavailable.

The essays in Transit, Land Use & Urban Form address the crisis in transportation in a number of American cities, and examine ways to integrate transportation into plans for land use and design. Sections cover the role of transportation in shaping urban character, case studies, and implementation. In the case study section there is a brief chapter on the San Diego Trolley by Robert Robenhymer. It is primarily a description of the trolley from origins to the present, including the point that ridership would never pay for a high-capital system, with the resulting decision for the low cost system which was developed. In another essay, the limitations in development of station areas inherent in the San Diego system are explored. This is a place to look for a quick oerview of transportation and urban development, or an even quicker introduction to the San Diego trolley. The lack of an index makes the book less useful than it could be.