Urban Sprawl (ca. 1960s)

today you and I live in a period of tremendous growth which confronts us with many problems across the United States new homes are springing up by the thousands for our rapidly growing population because we are an industrial nation most of the people must live in urban areas the growth of these regions presents one of the biggest challenges facing our nation the problem of urban sprawl cities have always been the industrial and business centers of American Life the increasing industrialization of our society brings more and more people people to the city in search of work in the past most of these people worked and lived within the compact unit of the city but today thousands have deserted the crowded Metropolis to seek living space outside its boundaries the vast sea of houses created by this explosion of the urban population flows outward in Endless waves the city shown in Black has become the nucleus of a sprawling metropolitan area this new pattern of urban growth is Apparent from coast to coast and more than half of our population lives within the expanding Urban regions that surround our large cities the automobile is an important factor in the spread of urban areas traveling over modern highways people can escape from the crowded cities and move outward in search of open space to build their homes and raise their families one subdivision after another leap frogs across the landscape competing for valuable land space man with his modern machines is consuming land at a frightening rate across our nation about 3,000 acres are cleared every day to make room for the growing ranks of suburban dwellers fruit trees that have grown for years fall in seconds before the steel blade of the Relentless bulldozzer and fertile soils that once supplied a harvest of farm crops are rapidly disappearing beneath rows of houses rugged Hillside areas once scorned by man are carved and shaped AP by machines to satisfy the demand for more living space the Terrace Lots stand like giant stairsteps awaiting the onward Rush of urban sprawl new tools help the construction industry keep Pace with the demands for housing mechanical nailers enable one man to do the work of three electric saws pre-cut Lumber and job specialization bring the techniques of mass production to home construction every day as foundations and floors are laid down for more houses the bir bur on public services becomes greater additional pipelines are laid to carry water to each new development sewer connections are needed for every family unit adding to the problems of sewage disposal mile after mile of electric power lines are installed to light homes and Streets Run washing machines and energize the television sets of the suburbanites telephone cables are extended to each new tra this spreading web of pipes cables and highways binds Suburbia and the city into one vast Metropolitan complex before a housing tract is completed families move into their new homes glad to be free of the crowded City but still demanding all the services and goods available to Urban dwellers Food Markets retail stores and service Industries once a part of the city follow the people outward modern shopping centers offer the convenience of close-at-hand shopping and ample parking space their shops and markets satisfy most of the material needs of suburban dwellers who no longer depend on the city as a retail Center industry is also moving to the suburbs competing for the land space to grow and expand and utilizing the ever increasing labor force living outside the city where industry goes more people follow and new homes and shopping centers spread over the surrounding Hills and Valleys homes Once On The Fringe of Suburbia are surrounded and absorbed into the vast Metropolitan spraw onward and outward go the subdivisions one development here another down the highway competing to lure more people to the Open Spaces each housing tract is the dream of a subdivider who claims the finest in country living but unfortunately he seldom has the guidance of an overall plan that relates his subdivision to the total Metropolitan development as a result of unplanned Urban growth this California Valley of 1950 with its compact communities surrounded by Rich farmlands became this cluttered halfhazard Patchwork of housing a sprawling Suburbia of the 60s this characteristic pattern of urban sprawl is found around all our large cities eventually as one subdivision blends with the next urban sprawl destroys open space the very thing that people are seeking in the suburbs it creates ever increasing problems of administration how can city services be provided for each new tract who will be responsible for police and fire protection for schools for the children and road maintenance for the new streets sprawl also affects the city the central core from which each metropolitan area grw the rush to the suburbs leaves behind abandoned buildings neglected property deteriorating business districts in an effort to correct blighted conditions City lands are re-evaluated and undesirable areas are leveled to the ground in their place modern apartment buildings are constructed in an attempt to attract people back to the city and new Office Buildings rise Skyward to keep expanding business within the city limits hemmed in by surrounding Suburbia the city can only grow upward existing city streets are congested with the increasing numbers of commuting workers and block after block of city property is cleared to make way for broad freeways to handle the flow of traffic through the city and to and from Suburbia as more and more expressways are built valuable City space disappears beneath ribbons of concrete and steel considering the problems of the changing City many people are concerned with this question will the city survive as a nucleus for the metropolitan area or will the continuing decentralization of Housing Industry and consumer markets slowly eliminate the large city as an important center of American Life Regional planning groups are attempting to solve the problems of urban sprawl they realize that coordinated effort at all levels of government will be needed to make wise use of available land space and to meet the needs of people planners tell us that urban sprawl was accelerated by a population increase of nearly 30 million people from 1950 to 1960 and that the population explosion will continue by 1970 more than 200 million people will live in the United States hundreds of thousands of new housing units will be needed but new subdivisions must be planned within a logical framework designed to make Administration and servicing more economic iCal before construction begins planners must decide is housing the best use for this land and can we properly integrate this development into the Metropolitan complex schools public facilities and shopping areas will have to be included at the planning stage so that services and goods will be conveniently available to all Urban dwellers in addition more industrial areas will be needed to provide jobs and goods for our growing population these areas must be zoned close to Transportation facilities and available labor forces industry is best suited to level land and farsighted planning May set aside some of the best land for industrial use and utilize hillsides and other marginal areas for housing but this type of planning must be concerned with the athetic values of urban living Industries can use architectural and Landscaping resources to combine Beauty and utility although industrial parks are planned to be functional they can bring Beauty to the community making it a better place to live and work open space for public use must be included in all urban planning parks within the community where people can enjoy their Leisure Time recreational facilities close to the metropolitan area to meet the needs of active people and just plain open space where families can get away from the pressure of modern living and enjoy the land on which they live one of the misfortunes of urban sprawl is the loss of prime agricultural lands more than half of our most fertile soils are in rapidly growing urban areas at present Science and Technology can offset this loss in farm production but what of the future someday these soils may be more valuable for their food producing potential than for living space for urban dwellers now is the time to decide do we need to protect these lands against Urban encroachment by zoning land for agricultural purposes fertile soils can serve their primary use the production of food at the same time these areas can provide open space or green belts to help meet the aesthetic needs of urban dwellers as more and more highways are constructed urban sprawl will follow and the crossroads of today's highways may become the centers of the metropolitan areas of Tomorrow a highway Network planned to coincide with the best land use could play an important part in the effective control of future Urban Development the availability of water must also be considered in planning Urban growth urbanization requires an abundant supply of water and growth in many regions will depend on man's ability to transport water to areas of need the drafting Board of the Planning Engineer must reflect all the broad concepts for orderly Urban Development PL can establish a pattern of land use that recognizes long range values and the total needs of people but how can we Implement these plans what kinds of legislative action are needed and at what levels of government what must we do as active and informed citizens we must decide now for how well we live tomorrow will depend on the action we take