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Great cities make it easy for residents and visitors to move fluidly among communities and to the points of attraction, creating a sense of citywide cohesion and identity. Both the sleek Paris Metro and the creakier New York subway accomplish that. Imagine how different it would be if the public spaces of the city and the most vibrant residential areas all could be accessed readily by mass transit. The trolley lines and the modest bus system are a nice start, but they need to be greatly expanded. It also must be made easier for people to reach San Diego from other regions. We already have a plethora of freeways, the current airport is nearing capacity and the rail service is limited. The proposed reconstruction of Lindbergh Field will buy only a little time, and high-speed rail service would only accommodate traffic from within the region. Ultimately, a site will have to be found for a new, larger, more modern airport to accommodate long-range tourist and business travel. Great cities emphasize learning. One can't imagine Boston or Vienna without their multitude of universities. In this respect, San Diego is in fine shape. If only one could say the same about the primary and secondary school system, which are being bled financially and stripped of anything beyond basic programs. This goes beyond the public schools themselves. Once upon a time, libraries were the most valued civic institution. A new central library downtown would be a great symbolic step. Finally, San Diego's potential can be enhanced by building on its proximity to Tijuana, itself a metropolis of 2.5 million people. Despite the legal and security issues stemming from the international border, San Diego would be enriched economically, socially and culturally by developing stronger ties to its southern neighbor. Moreover, goals such as development of a new international airport may be achieved more effectively if approached in tandem with Tijuana. Achieving these goals will require two fundamental changes: a long-range vision of where we want this city to go, and the willingness to allocate the resources to get there. Creating and maintaining great places, and the infrastructure to support them, takes money. Such civic assets shouldn't be expected to be profit centers. Rather, they are assets that continually contribute to the ambience and the social fabric of the city, that draw people who spend time and money, and improve the quality of life in ways that can't be measured purely in dollars. Between the current economic recession and the city's local budget issues, this is admittedly a difficult time to propose spending large sums on new ventures. However, these are investments in the future viability of the city. The costs will occur over a long time frame, and, like good investments, they will produce great returns. They also can produce substantial savings over time, as shown by the financial analysis of the proposed new civic center. None of this can happen in a vacuum. It requires a civic culture that emphasizes excellence and projects an attitude of greatness. Daniel Burnham, the noted architect who developed the 1909 Plan of Chicago, admonished: Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Big plans require a big
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vision. It can come from civic leaders, from the chambers of commerce or from the community level, but someone must have that vision and rally public support for it. Once that vision is accepted by community consensus, it will take on a life of its own. It will impel public officials to make decisions that support that vision, and impel voters to support funding programs to implement it. Ultimately, it will generate such a sense of civic pride and satisfaction that the city will take on an entirely different social and political ambience. At that point, San Diego will have joined the ranks of cities which deserve to be called world-class. Lowe is a land-use lawyer and planning consultant who has been an adviser to state and local governments. Butler is a principal in BRG Consulting Inc., and a former member of the San Diego City Planning Commission.