What does "urban sprawl" indicate?

Urban sprawl refers to the expansion of urban areas into rural land, often characterized by low-density development, increased automobile dependency, and a spread of residential, commercial, and industrial areas beyond the original city limits. This phenomenon typically occurs when cities grow outward rather than upward, leading to the development of suburban neighborhoods at a distance from the urban core. Urban sprawl can have significant implications for transportation, infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and land use.

The incorrect options represent different concepts. Controlled, sustainable growth of urban areas pertains to planned urban development that aims to manage expansion responsibly, contrasting with the often unplanned nature of urban sprawl. A plan for urban redevelopment focuses on revitalizing and improving existing urban areas rather than expanding into new territories. Meanwhile, a policy for conserving rural areas aims to protect undeveloped land from urban encroachment, which directly opposes the concept of sprawl by working to maintain the boundaries between urban and rural environments.