Sprawl in Atlanta- The main cause of environmental problems?

Urban sprawl around the city of Atlanta has created tremendous environmental problems in the area. The city of Atlanta itself is home to only 429,500 people, but the 29 county metropolitan area surrounding the city has a population of 4,917,717 making the area the 8^th largest metropolitan area in the country. This statistic points to the fact that there is an enormous amount of land developed around the city of Atlanta which brings with it a multitude of environmental problems. According to the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) the population of Atlanta grew at a rate of 13% during the 1990s, while the area of developed land grew at a rate of 50%.

Urban sprawl brings with it a host of problems from air and water pollution, increased property taxes, more traffic, and a lower quality of life with less interpersonal relationships. Several major cities including Portland, Oregon have been able to utilize smart growth to curb the issue of urban sprawl and avoid the problems that come with it.

Urban sprawl and demand for low density housing means that people spend more time in their cars in Atlanta stuck in traffic and commuting great distances to work. The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is a great way to get around downtown, but the vast majority of Atlanta residents live outside the city in suburbs and commute into the city for work during the day. The incredible amount of traffic in Atlanta has led to 13 counties which cannot meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and other automobile related pollutants. The air pollution caused by urban sprawl and excessive vehicle traffic in Atlanta leads to “asthma, bronchitis and sensitive lungs suffering from shortness of breath, coughing fits and wheezing, “ and the conclusion by a prominent Atlanta physician that “the best thing people can do if they are susceptible to [respiratory irritants] is to stay indoors and breathe air that's been run through an air conditioner.” Is this the future we want for our children? Or should we act now to address the growing problem of sprawl in Atlanta?

Another result of urban sprawl is that forest and agricultural areas are rapidly being lost in favor of development. As the amount of impervious surfaces increases with the construction of new roads, parking lots, and buildings, the land loses its ability to absorb and retain water. When forests and soil are intact, they capture rain water and release it in a controlled manner over time maintaining regular water levels. With an increase of impervious surfaces, the land has lost its ability to retain water resulting in severe droughts and floods in the greater Atlanta area. In addition to increased runoff and decreased retention, water demand also increases as more households consume water for irrigation and daily life. The impact of urban sprawl on water quality in Atlanta is that the area sometimes suffers severe droughts or experiences flash floods in heavy precipitation events. Flooding, runoff, and chemical pollution result in over 1,000 miles of rivers and streams that do not meet federal water quality standards. Following a flood in Atlanta in 2009 the e.coli level in the Chattahoochee river was 42 times the highest safe level. “

Urban sprawl in Atlanta is one of the biggest problems facing the area today. Sprawl brings with it a host of environmental and lifestyle problems which must be addressed at the root cause. By employing lessons learned from examples of smart development like Portland, Oregon, Atlanta may be able to reign in sprawl and improve quality of life for millions of residents.