PPT 8.2: Urban Sprawl
What is Urban Sprawl?
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Sprawl: the spreading outwards of a city to
its outskirts.
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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)
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Contributors to Urban Sprawl
Causes of Urban Sprawl
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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
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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
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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