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 bases in urban centers (Weaver, 1987; Wachs, 1977); and the decline of urban environmental quality (RERC, 1974 and Berry et al, 1974). While many factors contribute to sprawl, the suburbanization of America could not have occurred without the automobile. And if auto use remains cheap and easy, we can expect continued sprawl (Lansing and Hendricks, 1982; Kitamura, 1988). Given the evidence that low density development in turn leads to increased reliance on automobiles, the problem appears to feed on itself (Levinson and Wyn, 1964; Pushkarev and Zupan, 1971; Allman et al, 1982; and Holtzclaw, 1991). To address this problem, planners must seek to better understand and address t
he significant impact that transportation decisions can have on urban development. Any policy directed at the problems of sprawl must address Americans' high willingness to pay for the space and privacy offered by suburban lifestyles. In addition, there is no question that automobile use is at least in part determined by Americans' preference for the privacy, convenience and speed of their cars. Nonetheless, it would be inappropriate to conclude that our reliance on the automobile is strictly due to an innate 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.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Pushkarev Zupan, Bay Vision, Newman Kenworthy, Canadian European, Mobility Corporation, Konheim Ketcham, North American, Newman Kenworthy's, Europe Canada, Mahady Tsitsos, newman kenworthy, kenworthy 1989, newman kenworthy 1989, urban sprawl, transportation decisions, bay vision 2020, density development, pushkarev zupan, low density, continued sprawl, development patterns, pushkarev zupan 1971, central business districts, pucher 1988,
Approximate Word count = 1301
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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