THE DESIGN OF THE HIGHWAY 191 



gineers, and psychologists and all the others. We should bring 

 these together to form the best possible transportation system and the 

 best possible urban plan for our cities in the future because, as 

 someone else said, we are building for a long time in the future. We 

 ought to build well so that we would like to live there. 



Questions and Discussion 



Mr. WHITTON. I want to ask Mr. Sargent if he would suggest 

 how the rural highways can be designed so that they appear to be 

 part of the area and not just something added to the area. 



Mr. SARGENT. Actually my statement referred more to urban 

 highways. I feel this is the biggest part of the problem. I feel that 

 the interstate highways through the countryside are being designed 

 better every single one. I think we are taking into consideration 

 the harmonious use of the natural terrain. I think that we are be- 

 coming more sophisticated in terms of acquiring more lands and 

 providing scenic easements and doing things of this nature. 



I personally feel that the matter of planting trees and planting 

 exotic bushes and flowers and so on, perhaps should be de- 

 emphasized. I think it is more important to use the natural growth, 

 to use the trees that are in the region, to use clumps of trees in the 

 median strips along the road than to try to introduce other species. 

 It seems to me that this is more natural and I think it fits into the 

 landscape better. 



Mr. HALPRIN. I would like to have the benefit of Professor Bu- 

 chanan's experience. I do not know how many of you have read 

 his book. It is called Traffic in Towns. I recommend it to those 

 of you who have not read it. I wonder if he could give us any indica- 

 tion of what he thinks, on a critical level either good or bad critical 

 in the real sense of the word about what we have been doing. Is it 

 either good, bad or how can it be improved? 



I know this is a big order. 



Mr. BUCHANAN. I was rather anxious to get home in one piece. 

 I did not think I was going to get put on the spot like this, to give 

 a critical appraisal of things. 



I do not quite know what to say. But if I could venture a sum- 

 mary I think I would put it like this: As far as rural freeways are 

 concerned, I would think that you have just about brought this now 



