What is a common consequence of urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl, which refers to the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land, often leads to the loss of agricultural land. As cities expand outward, farms and open spaces are frequently converted into residential, commercial, or industrial developments. This transformation can reduce the amount of land available for agriculture, affecting food production and local farming economies. Additionally, as agricultural lands are converted into urban settings, the ecological balance of the region may be disrupted, leading to negative environmental impacts like habitat loss and increased runoff.

The other options do not align with the typical consequences of urban sprawl. Increased public transportation use is generally associated with urban density rather than sprawl. Similarly, improved access to city centers would not be a hallmark of sprawl, which often thickens urban boundaries rather than connecting them efficiently. Lastly, urban sprawl typically leads to lower population density in certain areas as it spreads people out over a larger landscape rather than increasing density in the urban core.