Author Question: Why are the terms car dependent and urban sprawl used to describe our current suburban lifestyle and ... (Read 100 times)

vHAUNG6011 · **on:** Jul 15, 2018

Why are the terms car dependent and urban sprawl used to describe our current suburban lifestyle and urban layout?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

How did the structure of cities begin to change after World War II? What factors were responsible for the change?

What will be an ideal response?

javimendoza7 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 15, 2018

Answer to Question 1

In suburban layout, houses are spread apart; stores are away from housing; schools may be distant from housing; work sites are not near homes; and roads, many roads, connect everything. The distances from schools, housing, work, and shopping are great. To get from one place to another, a person needs to use a car; it is not possible to walk because of distances and lack of sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly locations. Time, not distance, is the limiting factor in a suburb because of cars and the highways built for them.

Answer to Question 2

Cities began to expand into suburbs where people had larger houses and larger yards. Roads became more numerous and stores were grouped together rather than scattered within the housing area. Since World War II more and more people have purchased automobiles and have driven ever-increasing numbers of miles per year. Starting in the mid-1950s, we have built an endless number of miles of roads to accommodate the automobile. Cars and roads made urban sprawl possible because people could move from cities and still get to their jobs. People moved from the cities because the surroundings were not perceived to be pleasant. In the process of exurban migration, people moved residences and shopping areas and jobs moved with them. Because the causes of urban blight have not been addressed, these new suburbs decay and people move again.