How to Manage the Sprawl in Growing Megacities

Around the world, people continue to move toward urbanized areas in search of opportunity. Developing megacities and megaregions must plan ahead for the continued growth, according to Bloomberg.

1 minute read

September 9, 2017, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Faced with the prospect of a larger and larger share of humanity moving to developed areas of the world, Peter Coy writes an article suggesting that "sprawl can be beautiful," if growth is managed well.

Coy's concern is with the growth of sprawling megacities, like Dhaka, Lagos, Manila, and Rio de Janeiro, countering those in rich western cities who romanticize "the ingenuity and perseverance of slum dwellers."

Coy is following the lead of a 2011 article from the McKinsey Global Institute titled "What’s the biggest limit on city growth? (Hint: it’s not steel or cement).” The answer to the trivia question, Coy explains, is management. New York, Paris, and Tokyo were all ungovernable at points in their development, says Coy, and developing megacities don't currently have the same advantages that now established cities had at similar points in their development.

As examples of better management and planning in developing cities, Coy points to Curitiba, with the leadership of Jaime Lerner, and Valledupar, in Colombia. The latter provides a repeated touch point throughout the article.

Sunday, September 10, 2017 in Bloomberg BusinessWeek

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of man in manually operated wheelchair waiting at urban crosswalk.

Making Mobility More Inclusive

A new study highlights the challenges people with disabilities continue to face in navigating urban spaces.

15 minutes ago - Greater Good Magazine

US and Texas flags flying in front of Texas state capitol dome in Austin, Texas.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness

A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

1 hour ago - The Texas Tribune

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

2 hours ago - Inside Climate News