urban sprawl

Urban Sprawl The urban sprawl that has characterized American growth patterns for the past 45 years has been held responsible for a host of problems, including: profligate energy use (Levinson and Strate, 1981 and Newman and Kenworthy, 1989); rising municipal infrastructure costs (Neilson Associates, 1987; Real Estate Research Corporation, 1974; and Frank, 1989); the loss of agricultural and wetlands (OTA, 1984 and Krause and Hare, 1975); the loss of community values (Newman and Kenworthy, 1989 and Freedman, 1975); the erosion of current or potential tax …

…preference for highway travel. As Pucher notes, "for the vast majority of Americans, the alternative to the automobile is immobility" (Pucher, 1988). It would also be inappropriate to conclude that there is not significant scope for change. The evidence from Europe and Canada is that by incorporating mixed modes, including transit, cycling and pedestrian access into urban plans, future development could actually enhance "access" while reducing the demand for - and social costs of - travel.