PPT 8.2: Urban Sprawl
Sprawl: the spreading outwards of a city to its outskirts. Urban Sprawl is poorly planned development that spreads a city’s population over a wider and wider geographic area. From 1970 to 2000, people in U.S. who worked in cities were moving farther and farther away from the city center. Population density in cities dropped as people were moving to suburbs and outlying areas (edges) What is Urban Sprawl?
Contributors to Urban Sprawl
Causes of Urban Sprawl It occurs in metropolitan areas that allow unrestricted growth or have no plan to contain the growth. Automobiles and highways allow us to commute – drive many miles to and from a job. Desire for open spaces, better schools, and housing.
Example of Urban Sprawl: Phoenix
Environmental Impact
Negative Impact of Urban Sprawl Traffic strains our infrastructure – roads and bridges. Air pollution Strains water supply Providing streets, utilities, and other public facilities costs more Loss of green areas and animal habitats Separates classes of people Upper-income groups move further away Lower-income groups stay in inner-city areas
Impact of Urban Sprawl
Solutions to Urban Sprawl Developing plans for smart growth: Efficient use of land & resources, development closer to existing cities, good public transportation Portland, Oregon: created urban growth boundary Celebration, Florida: Homes built closer together Vancouver, British Colombia Sustainable communities: places where residents can live and work 40% of the residents can walk to work Grassroots Opposition: Citizen groups working to stop urban sprawl through education and activism.
Portland, Oregon
Celebration, Florida