To the editor:

I hope the new Lawrence city commissioners will provide a better quality of life for all the people of Lawrence.

I grew up in Lawrence. I watched Lawrence become a sprawling suburb. Growth is good; sprawl is not. There is a difference!

I was disillusioned by the type of growth in Lawrence, which compelled me to complete a master’s degree in urban planning at Kansas University.

In September, my husband took a job in Boulder, Colo. We considered not living in town because of the high cost of living. We have since bought a house in Boulder and are relieved. Boulder is well planned and has a high quality of life. How so?

There are four feasible transportation choices: a great bus system, walking, biking and, of course, the private automobile. My family uses all four options.

Despite higher traffic volume in Boulder, I find it easy to get around by car because of access management.

My husband bikes three miles to work and never crosses a road. There are bicycle underpasses to his office. We can bike downtown four miles by path and never cross a road.

I walk safely by way of an underpass, with my 2-year-old, to the grocery store, bank, and branch library in the neighborhood center.

Also, Boulder has an interconnected park system that preserves riparian areas and protects water quality.

Why is Boulder such a costly place to live? Supply and demand … there isn’t enough. Build more cities like it!

Erin Paden,

Boulder, Colo.