Urban planning has become one of the most critical aspects of city infrastructure, at a time when cities are fraught with problems such as traffic congestion, overcrowded public transport and pollution. In response to these issues, it has been proposed that specific areas of cities should be allocated to different needs of urban dwellers, such as education, entertainment and shopping. In my opinion, this will create further problems instead of improving the current situation.

Several advantages of this policy certainly make it an appealing approach. Designating specific areas for certain facilities improves convenience and efficiency to a certain extent. Those planning to shop, for example, can visit a shopping district, assured that they can find something they desire at one of the department stores in the area. Entertainment seekers can also visit multiple leisure centers and amusement parks given that the majority of entertainment facilities are clustered in a specific part of the city. This also helps improve safety at such vulnerable institutions as primary schools, which can then be found within an educational area, where private car access is limited. Parents in this case can rest assured that their children will be safe from any traffic-related accidents during their schooling.

However, this enhanced accessibility comes at a significant cost. Especially in cities with heavy traffic, such an arrangement of urban facilities is likely to intensify the problem. Commutes will become an even greater concern if urban residents have to travel to various parts of the city for their diverse needs. Imagine a parent needing to pick up their children from school on their way home, while having to do some grocery shopping and buy food from a takeaway. For each of these, they will have to travel to different parts of the city, spending significantly more fuel, energy, and time. Instead, modern cities are recommended to have self-contained neighborhoods, which preferably include all the necessary facilities, including schools and universities, shopping and leisure centers as well as office blocks. This not only cuts time spent on commute, but also reduces congestion on roads.

In conclusion, although specifying separate areas of a city for different societal needs seems attractive at first glance, in my view, creating communities with easy access to all the modern facilities is far more effective. Therefore, governing bodies should apply this arrangement to city infrastructure to cut commute time and mitigate traffic-related issues.