urban sprawl
Cities bleeding outward
Urban sprawl is the uncontrolled expansion of low-density suburban development outward from city centers—strip malls, subdivisions, and wide roads spreading across formerly rural land.
The term carries negative connotations, implying poor planning, car dependence, and loss of farmland or open space: Urban sprawl has transformed the county's orchards into parking lots.
Outer parts of town
- exurbiaResidential zone past suburbs
- satellite townSettlement dependent on nearby city
- bedroom communityResidential area near employment center
- metropolitan areaCity plus linked suburbs
commuter belt · periphery · leapfrogging · sprawling · low-density · decentralization · corridor · greenbelt
Reliance on private automobiles
- commuteRegular work travel
- trafficMovement along routes
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- congestionExcessive accumulation causing blockage
highway · freeway · interchange · rush hour · tailback · bottleneck · arterial · thoroughfare
Standardized residential development
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- strip mallRow of adjacent storefronts
- shopping centerRetail establishment cluster
- parking lotOutdoor vehicle storage area
highway · infrastructure · zoning · land use · greenfield · real estate · construction · paving
Freestanding residential dwelling
- detached houseResidence sharing no walls
- cookie-cutterMold for baked treats
- tract homeStandardized development dwelling
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
townhouse · homeownership · mortgage · property values · garage · lawn · driveway · gated community
Cannot be maintained indefinitely
- placelessnessLack of distinctive locale
- monotonyTiresome lack of change
- blightPlant disease causing decay
- decayGradual organic breakdown
inefficiency · soulless · unplanned · overdevelopment · environmental degradation · social isolation · walkability · transit-oriented
Elimination of living spaces
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- air pollutionToxic atmospheric contamination
- smogSunlight-activated urban pollution
- runoffExcess water drainage
heat island · carbon footprint · biodiversity loss · open space · greenfield · sustainability · automobile emissions · water table
outskirts
Outer parts of town
- exurbiaResidential zone past suburbs
- satellite townSettlement dependent on nearby city
- bedroom communityResidential area near employment center
metropolitan area · commuter belt · periphery · leapfrogging · sprawling · low-density · decentralization · corridor · greenbelt · hinterland
car dependency
Reliance on private automobiles
congestion · highway · freeway · interchange · rush hour · tailback · bottleneck · arterial · thoroughfare · public transport
tract housing
Standardized residential development
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- strip mallRow of adjacent storefronts
- shopping centerRetail establishment cluster
parking lot · highway · infrastructure · zoning · land use · greenfield · real estate · construction · paving · asphalt
single-family home
Freestanding residential dwelling
- detached houseResidence sharing no walls
- cookie-cutterMold for baked treats
- tract homeStandardized development dwelling
subdivision · townhouse · homeownership · mortgage · property values · garage · lawn · driveway · gated community · planned community
unsustainable
Cannot be maintained indefinitely
- placelessnessLack of distinctive locale
- monotonyTiresome lack of change
- blightPlant disease causing decay
decay · inefficiency · soulless · unplanned · overdevelopment · environmental degradation · social isolation · walkability · transit-oriented
habitat loss
Elimination of living spaces
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- air pollutionToxic atmospheric contamination
- smogSunlight-activated urban pollution
runoff · heat island · carbon footprint · biodiversity loss · open space · greenfield · sustainability · automobile emissions · water table
- environmentalismecology, conservationism, recycling bins, campaigner, environmentalism
- urban geographysuburbs, satellite towns, commuter towns, exurbs, bedroom communities
- urbancity, metropolis, skyline, skyscraper, cityscape
- city lifecity, traffic noise, downtown, metropolis, city life
- city termsmayor, city council, city hall, zoning laws, public works
- city viewsskyline, cityscape, rooftop view, city lights, skylines
urban sprawlurban density
Population per city area
high-density housing · infill development · densification · transit-oriented development · walkable neighborhoods
urban sprawlwilderness
Uncultivated, uninhabited natural region
green belt · undeveloped land · open space · land conservation · natural landscape
urban, suburban, sprawl, suburbia, urbanity, suburbanite, urbanization, urbanize, exurban