Sprawl in the DC Region

Sprawl is auto-oriented, spread-out development that is separated by miles of roads, large parking lots, and little architectural variety.

Sprawl undermines rural communities, causes traffic, degrades our quality of life, drains downtown areas of investment, damages natural and historic resources, and costs everyone too much money.

Sprawl = More Driving, Pollution, Traffic, Taxes

In sprawl developments, housing, shopping, and jobs are segregated from each other and usually located far away from transit service or a town center. Sprawl forces people to make dozens of trips a day by car in order to get to their destinations.

Sprawl contributes to unfair tax burdens in developing jurisdictions, to disinvestment in older communities, to a loss of open space, to worse traffic congestion and to an increase in air pollution. Some speculative developers want taxpayers to subsidize development by paying for new roads, new schools, sewer and water facilities and other public services. This comes at the expense of existing communities.

As urban, suburban and rural communities begin to understand the negative effects of sprawl, they are adopting smart growth solutions for development. These solutions include developing near transit stations and in town centers and creating walkable communities, all of which can reduce traffic and improve the overall quality of life.

More on Sprawl:
More on what sprawl is
Solutions to Sprawl
History of Sprawl
Contacts

Related Issues:
Air Quality
Land Use
Open Space
Outer Beltway
New Urbanism
Smart Growth
Transit Oriented Development
Water Quality

More Information:
The Hidden Costs of Sprawl
The Effects of Sprawl
What People Have to Say About Sprawl
VA Politicians Funded by Developers
What You Can Do to Fight Sprawl

Reports:
Driven to Action: Stopping Sprawl in your Community (David Suzuki)
Impact of Sprawl on Local Economies (Biodiversity Project)
Sprawl is Expensive (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)
Who is Supporting Sprawl? Developer Dollars (PDF)