Question:
1. Why does the city boundary expand in the shape of a star during the streetcar era? The star shape is a random effect. The star-shaped pattern is better for establishing business districts. Streetcar tracks are linear, and the arms of the star follow the tracks. Agricultural patterns and the presence of farm fields limited city development in much of the area, leaving a star-shaped pattern for urban development. City planners determined that a star-shaped pattern was the most efficient configuration for cities.