Conservation Tools

Org./Source: Clarion Associates
Year: 2000

Sprawl increases the costs of roads, housing, schools, and utilities; increases automobile use, makes public transit less cost efficient and effective; increases costs incurred due to car accidents; contributes to the concentration of poverty; contributes to the acceleration of socio-economic decline in cities, towns, and older suburb; and increases medical costs by increasing pollution and stress. Two examples given in this piece are, in 1995, Pennsylvanians could have saved $120 million in road, utility and school construction costs if sprawl development was avoided. In the Philadelphia area, 40% of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authorities (SEPTA) annual operating deficit is due to the longer suburban-city commutes, which comprise only 13.6% of the total number of transit trips.

Files for Download or Pages for Viewing

The_Costs_of_Sprawl_in_Pennsylvania.pdf (1.0 MB)
The_Costs_of_Sprawl_In_Pennsylvania-Full_Report.pdf (8.0 MB)

Topic tags: Economic Impacts of Sprawl and Smart Growth

Other information: Written for 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania

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