1. Urban Politics
Regionalization

2. Overview Sprawl New Regionalism Smart Growth New Urbanism Definition
Issues/Problems
New Regionalism
Smart Growth
New Urbanism

3. Sprawl Sprawl: EPA definition:
residential density of 3 dwellings or less per acre (about feet per side of a square; football field is 1.3 acres)

4. Issues/Problems Lower population density
loss of land for agricultural or “green field” use
suburban growth outpaced urban population increase
New York: 5% increase in population ( )
61% increase in developed land
Reasons for?

5. Issues/Problems Traffic Decrease in roads/vehicle
1970s: 61 yards of roadway/vehicle
1986: 39 yards of roadway/vehicle
Increase in number of licensed drivers
up 65% from 1970 to 1997
Increase in registered vehicles
up 87% from 1970 to 1997

6. Issues/Problems Traffic
Increase in “cross” commute (i.e., suburb to suburb) and “reverse commute (city to suburb)
Difficulty of coordinating mass transit solution

7. Issues/Problems
From 1987 to 1995, traffic congrestion grew 235% (average flow rate below 35 m.p.h.)
Upshot: Increase in Travel time in car
average commute time has increased

8. Issues/Problems Impact on gasoline prices
In sum, big increase in cost of commute in terms of time and money
Psychological costs

9. Issues/Problems
Expansion fueled further expansion as advantages of suburbia dwindled with expanding suburbia
Aesthetics of strip malls, hiways, and traffic

10. Solutions
New Regionalism
Smart Growth
New Urbanism