Urban Sprawl: The United States

Urban sprawl: The United States vs. Europe

Urban sprawl has increasingly become a problem in Europe, but it has been a problem within the United States even longer. One of the reasons Europeans have become so hyper-conscious about the dangers of urban sprawl is that they do not want to fall into the pattern of life exhibited in many regions of the United States, where public transportation is virtually unheard of and even walking to school is difficult. Urban sprawl creates problems for the environment, because of high levels of car dependence, as well as problems for human health. Over-dependence on cars, long commutes, and a lack of attractive places to walk, ride bikes, and play contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, and a host of other modern lifestyle ailments

It could even be argued that American urban sprawl has had a role in the fostering of the housing market bubble and bust and the subprime meltdown that affected all of the world's credit markets. The dream of suburban home ownership is particularly near and dear in the United States, at least partially because of a lack of affordable, attractive accommodations for individuals within cities. Suburbs are often thought of as the only places in the United States where individuals can have places to play, commune with nature, garden, and live and exercise in a healthy manner. Although there may be a discrepancy between the ideal and the reality, a lack of safety and amenities in urban locations has driven many individuals to live in the suburbs, even when their current financial situation does not make them a good candidate for a mortgage.

Europe, in contrast to the United States, has a vastly superior public transportation system. Within most the European Community nations, Travelers can use Euro Rail for international tourism and business travel. National railways such as British Rail and subway systems such as the London Underground and the Paris Metro make transportation relatively affordable and inexpensive. Some cities, such as Amsterdam, are famous for the ability of bikers to safely navigate the city streets.

From a cultural perspective, urban sprawl has been linked to the dilution of European national cultures with the culture of America. At its worst, urban sprawl can take people away from national theaters and museums, and encourage them to drive to malls and movie theaters which are conveniently located in strip malls by their homes, as opposed to common city centers that are more difficult to access from far away. Sprawl locations are often unsightly and starkly modern in a manner that offends some Europeans: "Traditional cities, like many small and mid-sized cities in modern-day Europe, were typically oriented in a compact and efficient way. Preferences of many people, especially in the United States, have led suburban development…in an outward instead of upward manner…Subdivisions are often cited as primary examples of a less efficient use of space that characterizes sprawl. These layouts often only have a few places to enter and exit, causing main roads to have more traffic at these points" (Hill 2010). Creating long commute times and encouraging people to remain within their homes rather than seek out others during times of leisure has had a profoundly negative social impact upon the U.S., many believe, and they cite the fact that the few cities that are anomalous in their development, such as walker-friendly New York City, tend to have lower rates of obesity and flourishing theater and cultural 'scenes.'