It's hard to convince people to ride their bikes to go shopping if each store has a big parking lot and the town is spread over miles of hilly Wyoming terrain.

It's also hard to develop public transportation when the population is low and the distances are wide.

The real problem with urban sprawl, said Rob Godby, professor and chairman of the University of Wyoming Department of Economics and Finance, is that it creates a society dependent on automobiles.

"To make a transit system work, you need density," he said. "Sprawl undermines density."

Urban sprawl isn't a new phenomenon. It's something the western United States encountered as "big-box" retailers, shopping malls, discount centers and suburbs began consuming farm land and open spaces.

While sprawl can also be blamed for depopulating a city's core and providing a less-than-attractive gateway into town, Godby said one of the primary concerns is the dependence on the automobile. The concern isn't only for the environment, but also people's pocket books.

As gas prices increase, the lower-income segment of the population will be less able to drive to the outskirts to find what it needs, but it will also find itself with few alternatives.

"Normally, if we were going to the supermarket and we wanted apples but they had gone up in price, we would buy oranges," he said. "But in the U.S., we don't have infrastructure to support a substitute for high gas prices. It really makes us susceptible to large swings in energy price volatility."

If the infrastructure in a city requires the use of vehicles, he said, then the consumer has to absorb the shock of the increase in fuel.

Sprawl, if left uncontrolled, could harm the city's core.

Casper City Manager Tom Forslund said that growth on the east or west sides isn't the problem. It's ignoring the center and only growing on the outskirts that can harm a city.

"Growth is fine, but to have healthy growth and balanced growth is what's important," he said.

As long as the city and community keep the core of Casper as a priority and continue to reinvest in the center, then some of the dangers of sprawl could be allayed.

Neither Forslund nor Godby argue against an increase in business or advocate for fewer restaurants. Both say they know the services may be needed. The goal, they say, should be to grow in the center while also growing on the fringes.

Contact city reporter Christine Robinson at (307) 266-0639 or christine.robinson@trib.com