Urban sprawl is simply the outward expansion of urban areas onto previously undeveloped land.
Based on the provided reference, the simple definition of urban sprawl is the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city.
This means that instead of growing upwards or filling in vacant spaces within existing urban areas, cities tend to expand outwards into the surrounding countryside or natural landscapes.
Key Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Urban sprawl is often characterized by:
- Low Density: Buildings are spaced far apart, requiring more land per person.
- Single-Use Zoning: Areas are often dedicated exclusively to residential, commercial, or industrial uses, separating where people live, work, and shop.
- Car Dependency: Due to the spread-out nature and separation of uses, people rely heavily on cars for transportation.
- Scattered Development: Developments are not always contiguous with the existing urban area but can leapfrog over undeveloped parcels.
Examples of Urban Developments Contributing to Sprawl
- Large, single-family housing subdivisions with spacious yards.
- Shopping centers and big-box retail stores located along highways or on the edges of cities.
- Business parks and office campuses situated in suburban areas away from city centers.
Understanding urban sprawl is important because it has various environmental, social, and economic impacts, such as increased traffic congestion, loss of open space and agricultural land, and higher infrastructure costs.
