Urban Sprawl, Commuting, and Access to Public Transportation in the Southeast

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Selima Sultana, Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: Urban sprawl has emerged as a major urban planning issue in the past decade, with a variety of urban problems attributed to it. It is accused of consuming excessive amounts of land in an uncontrolled fashion, which leads to an unnecessary separation of land uses and activities and, in turn, increases the demand for mobility. A greater number of trips leads to greater air pollution and other environmental problems, while increased travel may lead to traffic congestion that decreases mobility and access to employment and services (Johnson, 2001; Gillham, 2002). Yet while automobility and accessibility may be diminishing due to the effects of sprawl, the reliance on automobiles is increasing. Urban sprawl is typified by the construction of low-density urban landscapes, with commercial buildings surrounded by parking lots located on large parcels. These parcels are spatially separated from residential areas by distance and crowded arterial streets unsafe for pedestrians. Walking is not feasible in such conditions, and those who do not have access to a car likely will have extremely limited mobility, and may not be able to easily reach potential employment locations within the city.

Additional Information

Publication
Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conference, Vol. 29, pp. 282–291
Language: English
Date: 2006
Keywords
urban sprawl, Atlanta, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, transit use

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