Urban Sprawl

8 Pages 1899 Words

answer to the growing demands of many social, economic, demographic, and technological factors. Transportation has been a major influence on urban sprawl. Prior to innovations in transportation, people were able to travel by walking or riding a horse. Inventions such as the steam ferry, cable cars, commuter and elevated railroads, and the electric streetcar increased accessibility to the suburbs. By far, the arrival and increased use of the automobile marked the single invention that has multiplied the outward growth and settlement of this nation. As the automobile became less expensive and became the dominant form of transportation, the government stepped in and accelerated growth. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 created a large public words project that increased the highway system to 41,000 miles and connect 90% of cities with a population of 50,000 people or more. With the advent of these new highways, the American city began to change. An accessible highway system made the automobile the most convenient form of travel. This is a development that still continues to contribute to the problem of urban sprawl. A 1995 Transportation Research Board report affirms that transportation investments influence the location of growth.
After World War II, the United States experienced a large population boom. During the 1940’s, as the population of cities exploded, millions of people moved from rural areas to the metropolis, seeking the employment opportunities that were ...