What Major Cities Will Look Like in the Future

The traffic in Los Angeles is more than just an inconvenience -- it's a health issue. Excessive commute times have been linked to obesity, neck pain, lack of concentration, decreased enjoyment of daily activities, and increased anxiety. Los Angeles' "love affair with the car" is becoming more like a nightmare.

Last year, the city that would barely blink at tearing down homes to expand roads, announced that it would be slashing car lanes and replacing them with bike and bus-only lanes. The proposal -- known as Mobility Plan 2035 -- passed, signaling a major break from the city's vehicle-centric philosophy. By 2035, L.A. now plans to have hundreds of miles of new bicycle lanes, bus-only lanes, and more pedestrian-friendly infrastructures.

Creating more infrastructure for alternative forms of transportation is becoming the new norm in major cities across the world. Copenhagen's 220 miles of bike lanes has made the city a cycling mecca. Chicago's new 606 Trail is an elevated park system that doubles as a commute route and is similar to New York City's established High Line.

These innovations represent more than just a shift in transportation policy. It also represents a new dynamic between a city and its population. Historically, cities developed quite naturally, with no real master plan. But now, cities are being planned with intention and forethought. The future of cities will be a delicate balancing act between technology, health, culture, and transportation.

Cities will also have to deal with a massive population boom. By 2030, some experts believe an astonishing two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities. To deal with this massive influx of people, designers and planners are coming up with innovative ways to integrate millions of migrants, one of the reasons why alternative transportation is becoming more than a push for a healthier lifestyle but also a solution to an impending capacity disaster.

To deal with a surge in population, buildings will become bigger. Much bigger. Super skyscrapers will become a dominant feature in downtown areas, all made possible by utilizing carbon nanotubes and diamond nano-threads. The designation of the world's tallest building will be constantly changing hands. Dubai's Burj Khalifa will relinquish its crown to The Jeddah Tower in 2019, only to hand it over to The Bride in Iraq just a few years later.

The Bride is being called the "world's first vertical city" and will require no electricity, running purely on the solar power that the tower produces itself. The Bride will have its own neighborhoods, schools, health facilities, and even a transportation system. The development of these super skyscrapers will also herald other changes. Aerial highways and elevated pedestrian streets will become the new norm and autonomous drones will replace elevators, unreliable for buildings of this size.

A major component to the future of cities is the use of technology that's integrated with the city's infrastructure. Los Angeles, for instance, plans to have smart street lights. If an ambulance or police car is nearby, the street lights will change accordingly. If a large amount of pedestrians are expected - like after a music festival lets out - the lights will automatically brighten.

The future of cars is also uncertain. Driverless cars, already being tested by companies like Google and Tesla, could become ubiquitous. These electric cars will be charged as they drive, creating less of a need for fossil fuels. If you don't feel like being on the road, you could take your personal flying drone instead, which will be strong enough to transport your home around the world for holidays.

The use of technology though isn't restricted to public works. It is predicted that billboards, instead of sending one static message, will be personalized to the individual passing by. It'll look more like the Gap scene from "Minority Report" than anything else.

The changes to the city will be a reflection of our constant connectivity. This is a time when a fully charged cellphone is more important than a bus pass. Some of us work with people we've never met. This being the case, the buildings we live in will automatically charge our devices and will be able to identify family members, guests, and possible intruders. A wrist band will detect your heartbeat and the home will automatically adjust the temperature, lighting, and music to fit your mood.

We will build more infrastructure in the next 40 years than we have in the last 4,000 years, ushering in our neighborhoods and communities we call home into exciting and unchartered territory.