Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
7.4. Urban sprawl is not only a big city phenomenon
Contrary to the simplistic visions of Alonso's model [ALO 64] and his by-
products of the New Urban Economy, urban sprawl does not happen in the United
States through land and property auctions triggered by the scarcity of urban land in
city centers. Urban sprawl in America is also not the result of the exile of middle
classes towards peripheral areas because land is cheaper. Urban sprawl is the result
of a lifestyle choice and cultural preference. The proof lies in the fact that urban
sprawl is also very evident around small- and medium-sized cities with very low
densities.
We can briefly illustrate this point through the example of recent urban sprawl
around Baton Rouge, capital of the state of Louisiana, which ranked as the 69th
MSA in the national census of 2000, with 602,894 inhabitants living in an area of
4,356 km². This metropolitan area, of modest size for the United States, can be
compared to a regional capital in France to better appreciate the relative nature of
the topic of urban sprawl in Europe as opposed to in the United States.
Population 1990
(
density hab./km²
)
Population 2000
(
density hab./km²
)
Study zone
Area (km²)
215,457
(
1,061
)
216,177
(
1,065
)
Baton Rouge City
203
Other incorporated areas
(26 cities)
103,875
(
465
)
123,331
(
552
)
224
Unincorporated areas
(4 counties)
208,909
(
53
)
263,386
(
67
)
3,929
MSA total
(4 counties, 27 cities)
528,241
(
121
)
602,894
(
138
)
4,356
Central city share
4.7%
40.8 %
35.9 %
Table 7.3.
Population of the MSA of Baton Rouge, 1990-2000
Greater Baton Rouge is vast (see Table 7.3). Its population density does not
exceed 2,700 inhabitants per km² in the university neighborhood, which is
exceptionally low. The average density of central Baton Rouge is only
1,065 inhabitants/km², just about double that of its suburbs. With nearly 7,500 new
